Summer’s coming ☀️ (let’s make it easier now)

Hi Mamas -

Summer. Okay, everyone, let’s take a collective breath. In…1, 2, 3. Out …1, 2, 3.

If you haven’t started thinking about a summer plan yet, we’re not here to panic you… but also, it’s time! There’s so much to love about this season—longer evenings, outdoor play, hopefully less sickness, more sunshine, and maybe even a little margin.

But where there is more margin in our days, there’s often less margin in our brains, because someone still has to figure out what to do with that extra time. Eh hem, spotlight on… probably you.

If you just felt a little sweat coming on, HAVE NO FEAR. We gotchu. Summer as a working mom is always a puzzle, but we’re giving you the picture to reference as you piece it together.

Enjoy!
-The Carry™ Team

 This week in The CARRY™ ALL, we’re talking about:

• 👶 Practical Tips for Finding Childcare

• 🍉 Your Simple Summer Meal Plan

• 📅 The Summer Calendar Checklist

🔔 A quick reminder: In April, THE CARRY™ ALL will be moving to a new home on Substack.

Just in case you missed it… we sent out a short survey last week to make sure we know what you want most. We’re listening and taking notes as we build new features for this community. We’ll send it one more time this Thursday. If you didn’t get a chance to participate, we’d love to hear from you.

THE BIG 1️⃣ 2️⃣ 3️⃣

1️⃣ 👶 Practical Tips for Finding Childcare

Chamber of Mothers co-founder Lauren Smith Brody, who is also the founder of The Fifth Trimester, is an amazing resource for mothers navigating childcare. Here are a few practical tips on how to find childcare as working moms near the 10 most stressful weeks of the year: Summer. 

1. Check your job benefits for childcare help and have your partner do the same. You may have more available to you than you expect in terms of FSA reimbursements. 

2. Get visible. Do not hide this need — people can only help what they see and hear. Text a few friends, ask at pickup, share in your group chat. If five fellow parents all shared two trusted sitters, you'd have 10 go-to sitters in a pinch!

3. The reality is that summer childcare is usually a puzzle, not a one-size-fits-all solution. Most families end up piecing together a few different options. Some practical combination ideas:

   1. Look for college/high school sitters home for summer

   2. Consider nanny shares to split cost + coverage

   3. Mix-and-match: camps + sitter + family help

   4. Ask current caregivers about extended summer hours now

   5. Check local gyms, churches, or community centers for half-day programs or drop-in childcare

   6. Coordinate parent swaps with friends where you each take a set day covering the kids

2️⃣  🍉 Your Simple Summer Meal Plan

A simple weekly meal rhythm is helpful any time of year, but in the summer it can feel like a lifeline. If you do not want to spend your energy deciding what to make every night, borrow our plan:

• Sunday - grill night 🔥

• Monday - sheet pan dinner 🍽️

• Tuesday - breakfast for dinner 🍳

• Wednesday - sandwiches, flatbreads, or pizza 🥪🍕

• Thursday - leftover clean out night 🧊

• Friday - snack plate dinner 🧀🍇

• Saturday - eat out, take out, or pasta night 🍝

The decision-making is taken off your plate. And the bonus is everyone starts to know what to expect, which means fewer questions for you. HELLO, WIN WIN.

A few small things to make this even easier:

• Double a recipe and freeze half for another night.

• Pre-chop fruits and veggies on Sunday so they are ready to grab.

• Keep a couple of no-brainer meals on hand for the days that get away from you. We shared some recently HERE.

3️⃣ 📅 The Summer Calendar Checklist

You do not need to map out every single day but getting a high-level view of what is coming helps so nothing sneaks up on you.

1. Start with the big pieces:
   👉 🏕️ Camp dates
   👉 ✈️ Vacations
   👉 💼 Busy work weeks

2. Fill in gaps where childcare might be tricky. Check work deadlines or busy stretches when you will need extra support.

3. Next, think about the in-between.
   👉 Are there gaps between camps?
   👉 Long weekends?
   👉 Days when scheduled childcare is unavailable?

4. Extra tips:

   👉 Keep that childcare list we talked about handy. Who can you call last minute if something falls through?
   👉 At the start of each month, glance over the calendar for gaps.
   👉 Every Sunday, do a quick check for changes.

   Help future you avoid the scramble by keeping rhythms to keep the summer running smoother!

When all else fails, make the moments that matter count. Vacations, holidays, or any special summer highlights will help your kids remember the season, even if some days end up with extra screen time or you need to focus on work.

📰 IN THE NEWS

Virginia Joins the Paid Family Leave Club

Last month, Bobbie asked Virginia parents to email their state reps about why families deserve protected time with their newborns. More than 300 did 💚

It worked! Virginia lawmakers passed 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, now heading to the governor’s desk. When moms are in charge, good things happen—way to go, Bobbie!

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