I feel like I have two speeds in my life: slow and go. The trouble is I seem to get stuck in one speed because I have a hard time finding the clutch, so to speak, to shift gears. I would estimate that I spend 80-90 percent of my days in go mode, but when I downshift to slow the other 10-20 percent of the time it’s a little slice of heaven. (By the way, slow mode doesn’t count if you’re sick. And if that’s the only time you slow down, then you really need to keep reading.)

No matter how hard it’s been for me, I’ve made a conscious effort this summer to be on less of a schedule. I’ve still demanded my kids brush their teeth. (I know. I’m so mean.) But generally we’ve rolled from day to day without making many plans. By comparison, during the school year we’re scheduled nearly every minute of every day. I know I’m not alone in this crazy lifestyle. It’s been wonderful to take a break from it all and relax. I often don’t get a free minute to myself while they’re awake, but I feel less stressed when we’re not tied to our agenda for the day and we can move at a snail’s pace. I’ve relearned the valuable lesson that, “A less stressed mom equals a happier home.”

Don’t get me wrong—we’re not cooped up all day. We still do many of the same things we normally do in a summer, but it feels better to skip a few things and slow it all down a bit. For me, I seem to be enjoying the time we have together more and we’re actually having fun trying new things together.

Trying to find second and third gear this summer hasn’t come without a few stalls or bumpy moments. It’s very similar to learning how to drive a car with a manual transmission. Remember peeling out a few times or killing the engine when you don’t apply the accelerator enough? It’s hard to strike a balance between letting it roll and hitting the gas. I’ve had to take a few ”mental health days” or afternoons to restart my engine over the past few weeks. I’ve also had to count to 10 or call a girlfriend to vent more times than I count on one hand. But the good news is I think I’ve finally found a few gears we can drive in without leaving anyone in the dust.

Question: Any suggestions on how to keep this more relaxed vibe alive beyond Back to School night?