The May-hem of Maycember
(A Note to Moms in “Maycember”)
Raise your hand if May snuck up on you…and suddenly everything is happening all at once. ✋
Field trips. Spirit weeks. End-of-year parties. Teacher gifts. Performances. Snack sign-ups. Graduation events. Summer planning. And somewhere in the middle of it all - Mother’s Day.
If you’re a mom of younger kids, May can feel like a constant shuffle between classrooms, car lines, and last-minute Amazon orders for themed dress-up days you forgot about.
If your kids are a little older, May carries a different kind of weight. Transitions. Endings. Big milestones. Pride mixed with grief, excitement tangled up with “how did we get here so fast?”
It’s a lot.
And layered into all of it is this quiet (or not-so-quiet) pressure: The idea that the “good moms” are the ones who do it all, effortlessly.
They’re the ones bringing the homemade treats.
Remembering every detail.
Coordinating the gifts.
Showing up to everything.
Holding it all together - beautifully.
But here’s the truth that doesn’t get said enough: That’s not the norm. That’s the highlight reel.
Most moms are stretched thin in May. Most are forgetting things, dropping balls, running late, and wondering if they’re doing enough.
And then comes the guilt.
Guilt that you didn’t sign up.
Guilt that you said no.
Guilt that you’re overwhelmed.
Guilt that you can’t “enjoy every moment.”
Let me gently interrupt that narrative.
You were never meant to do all of this alone, all at once, without limits.
And trying to will cost you something (energy, health, patience, sanity).
The Oxygen Mask You Keep Ignoring
You’ve heard me say it before: put your oxygen mask on first. Not because it sounds nice. Because it’s necessary.
When you are depleted, touched-out, mentally overloaded, and running on fumes, you don’t magically become more present, patient, or joyful. You become exhausted. Irritable. Disconnected. Resentful.
And then you feel guilty for that, too.
Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it’s maintenance. It’s what allows you to keep showing up in a way that actually feels like you.
“But There’s No Time” (I Know)
May is not the month where you suddenly have hours of free time. So let’s not pretend it is. Instead, think smaller. More realistic. More doable.
What would it look like to take 30 minutes a week that is just yours? Not multitasking. Not catching up. Not being productive. Just yours.
Maybe it’s:
Sitting outside with your coffee and your phone on Do Not Disturb
A solo Target run that you don’t rush through
A walk without anyone asking you questions
Listening to a podcast in your car before going back inside
Saying no to one thing you would normally say yes to
These aren’t grand gestures. But they matter. Because they send a message - to YOU - that you matter too.
A Quick Reality Check for Mother’s Day
Let’s name something a little uncomfortable: A lot of moms end up planning, coordinating, and executing the day that’s meant to celebrate them. If that’s you, you’re not alone. And you are allowed to want something different.
You are allowed to say: “This is what would actually feel good to me.” Not performative. Not picture-perfect. Not for everyone else.
For you.
If You’re Feeling the Pressure…Read This
You do not have to:
Attend everything
Volunteer for everything
Bring the best thing
Make it magical
Soak up every moment
Hold it all together perfectly
You’re allowed to:
Opt out
Do the minimum
Forget things
Change your mind
Protect your energy
Block of weekends to do nothing
Being a good mom is not measured by how much you can carry.
As May Keeps Getting Closer…
Things will still be busy. The calendar won’t magically clear. But you can move through it differently.
A little more aware of your limits.
A little more honest about what you need.
A little less willing to abandon yourself in the process.
So here’s your gentle nudge:
Find your 30 minutes.
Say no once.
Let something be “good enough.”
And notice what shifts. Because you don’t need to do more to be a good mom.
You might actually need to do less.
You Don’t Have To Do This Alone
If you are feeling the crunch of the upcoming May that bleeds into the never ending activities of the summer (it’s supposed to be fun, right??), you deserve support and you don’t have to navigate this season alone.
It is possible to maintain your sanity during all of this and take care of yourself in the process. It doesn’t mean just abandoning all of your plans, it means you can strategically say no so that you have the bandwidth to enjoy the times you say yes.
If this resonates with you, and you are ready to start putting yourself first, this is the work I do. You can explore my services and book a consultation call so we can see if we would be a good fit for each other.
Another option for support is checking out an upcoming Release and Restore event. This is a space to pause, process, and regulate your nervous system in the midst of everything that is happening - with like minded women. It is not just a venting session at a rage room, it is a hard reset for your nervous system.
Until next time, keep putting your oxygen mask on first.
