Fall.

It’s Autumn. Officially. I think the unusually hot weather has finally danced it’s last waltz, and we are now in my favourite season of the year. It used to be summer but then I got older and found that the heat isn’t as fun when you’ve got to spent 97% of your time covering small humans in sun screen. So, Autumn it is.

But I’ve called this newsletter Fall - not because I’m trying on some faux American vibes but because I’m conscious that this is often a tricky time of year. The collective sigh of relief that can be heard nationwide at the beginning of September when the kids go back to school is long gone. We are four weeks into term and it’s really easy for us to FALL into habits that don’t take care of us.

Sending the kids to school everyday does take off a lot of pressure, but it also comes with it’s own stresses. Making sure they’ve got everything they need, making sure you’re on time for drop off and pick up, fighting the homework battle nightly, packed lunches (if you agree to do them…it’s a hard no from me!), signed forms, spelling tests, sports fixtures, playdates…and this is all on top of the usual stuff you have to do: work, laundry, shop, cook, clean.

And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, we often fall into a false sense of security when September comes around thinking we’re going to have so much time on our hands. So, what do we do? We book more things. We sign up to classes, sign our kids up to classes, agree to join the PTA or a car pool. We make weekend plans with friends, evening plans with friends and while all this is going on…

BAM! Halloween.

BAM! Bonfire Night.

BAM! Thanksgiving (if you’re American).

BAM! Christmas.

And it’s all too fucking much.

I’m as guilty of this as anyone. I’m already looking at the kids’ schedule - tonight Billie has Tennis, after school club and then piano. What the fuck was I thinking? I need to rethink the pressures and obligations I willingly put on myself and my family in future.

Maybe that’s something that you could benefit from too?