Summertime, Sunshine, and Feeling Our Best Selves!
If I’ve learned anything from summer vacations with kids over the past few years, it’s this: as a parent, it’s not always as “sunny” as I hope it will be. Don’t get me wrong—I love summer: warm weather, vacations, and endless memory-making. But let’s be real, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. In my experience, the change in routine can completely throw my kids off—and their emotions, too. Can you say big feelings?!
That’s where Feel Your Best Self comes in. Now, I’m not some super parent planning to dust off my old teacher hat and sit my kids down for formal FYBS lessons. And let’s be honest—no kid wants that all summer long. But that’s exactly what I love about the FYBS toolkit: I can naturally weave its components into our everyday routines.
Just the other day, my kids created a Feelings Forecast with chalk in our driveway—and it was a total HIT! My daughter took it a step further, drawing CJ, Mena, and Nico and acting out different emotional scenarios. It was adorable! Even my four-year-old got so into it. (Though his Nico looked more like a zombie cyclops, he had a blast pretending to be Nico and expressing different feelings.)
Earlier this year, my kids had a blast creating their own puppet friends. This summer, I plan to bring those creations back out for lots of puppet shows! It’s such a fun and playful way for them to express emotions and work through tricky situations—all while using their imaginations. I love how something so simple can also be so meaningful and fun.
I’m also hoping to bring FYBS along to Disney this summer! I’ll be honest—I’m excited, but also a little anxious. Vacations sound magical: a break from routine, time with family, no worries in sight. But in reality? Sometimes it just feels like parenting in a different location.
I already know there will be moments where I’ll need to Turn the Dial. Instead of thinking, “Ugh, Leo’s not going to nap. He’s going to be a nightmare,” I’ll try reframing it to, “He probably won’t nap—but hey, that just means an earlier bedtime!”
Since my son tends to get overstimulated, I’m anticipating some big feelings at Disney. I plan to bring a mini Feelings Forecast and his favorite strategy card—Ground it Down. He does well with visuals and likes having something to hold. We'll do our usual feelings check-ins and use a strategy if things get overwhelming.
I’m not claiming to be a super parent—and let’s face it, things might not go exactly as planned. But with FYBS in our back pocket, I’m hopeful we’ll find moments of calm and joy, even amidst the summer chaos!
Molly Ferreira, FYBS Implementation Coordinator (and mom!)
