Breathe, Laugh, and Let Them Go
A gentle reminder for parents during the tender back-to-school season
Grayson, my husband, and me on Grayson’s very first day of preschool two years ago. There were a lot of tears that day—mostly mine!
There is something about the back-to-school season that feels like both a fresh beginning and a complete whirlwind. The slower rhythm of summer suddenly gives way to school calendars, supply lists, earlier bedtimes, packed lunches, and mornings that require everyone to be dressed, fed, and out the door at what can feel like an impossibly early hour.
There are backpacks and lunch boxes to purchase, tiny labels to place on water bottles and jackets, forms to complete, teachers to meet, and schedules to rearrange. We try to remember the extra clothes, the snacks, the folders, and every special instruction sent home. At the same time, we are helping our children navigate their own excitement, nervousness, and uncertainty—all while carrying plenty of emotions ourselves.
Two years ago, when Grayson started preschool for the first time, I learned just how emotional this season can be for a mother. Of course, I wanted him to have new experiences, make friends, learn, and discover who he was becoming outside of our home. But I also had to learn how to let go.
For so long, I had been the one caring for him, comforting him, anticipating what he needed, and knowing all the little things that made him feel safe. Leaving him in someone else’s care required me to trust that he would be okay without me beside him. I had to trust his teachers, trust the experience, and perhaps most of all, trust him.
That kind of letting go does not happen all at once. It happens in tiny moments: walking away after drop-off when part of you wants to turn around, wondering what they are doing throughout the day, and waiting to hear the stories they choose to share when they come home. It is the quiet realization that our children are beginning to build little lives and relationships beyond us.
There is grief in that, even when the growth is beautiful.
Back-to-school can bring so many emotions to the surface—for our children and for us. They may cry because they do not want to leave home, and we may cry once we are alone in the car. They may become overwhelmed by a new routine, and we may become overwhelmed trying to hold that entire routine together. Even the smallest things—a missing shoe, a forgotten water bottle, or a child who suddenly refuses to get dressed—can feel enormous when everyone is tired and the clock is ticking.
I know this because I recently lost my patience during one of those mornings when Grayson simply would not get out the door to go to his summer camp session. I could feel the frustration rising as the minutes passed and nothing seemed to be going as planned. My husband gently reminded me to pause, breathe, and calm down. I knew I needed to tap him in, and he calmly helped Grayson work through his feelings and got him to school that morning.
It sounds so simple, but in the moment, it can feel incredibly hard. Let’s be honest: we are all human. We lose our patience. We become overstimulated. We raise our voices when we wish we had responded more gently. Parenting asks so much of us, and sometimes the pressure of getting everyone where they need to be simply spills over.
During those moments, I want to remind myself—and every other parent—to breathe.
Pause before responding, even if only for a second. Take one slow breath before trying to solve the next problem. Let your shoulders soften. Remind yourself that this is a transition, and transitions can be tender and messy. You are not failing because the morning did not unfold perfectly. Your child is not necessarily giving you a hard time; they may simply be having a hard time.
And whenever you can, remember to laugh. Laughter truly is some of the best medicine—not only for carrying us through difficult moments, but also for reminding us to loosen our grip, be present, and have a little fun along the way. Children respond so beautifully to laughter, and let’s be honest, they really do say the funniest things. They have an incredible ability to live fully in the present and bring unexpected joy to even the most ordinary moments. Perhaps that is one more thing we can learn from them.
Laugh when the perfectly planned outfit is rejected at the last minute. Laugh when the lunch you lovingly packed comes home completely untouched. Laugh when the school photo captures an expression you never expected. These are the stories that will become part of your family’s history—the chaotic, ordinary moments you may one day miss more than you can imagine.
Laughter does not erase the stress, but it gives us a little space inside of it. It reminds us that we do not have to do this perfectly. We only have to keep showing up with love, repair the moments that do not go well, and try again tomorrow.
As parents, we spend so much time preparing our children for the school year that we often forget to consider what we need. We purchase everything on their lists, organize their schedules, calm their worries, and help their bodies adjust to a new rhythm. Meanwhile, our own bodies quietly absorb the tension—the tight shoulders, the aching back, the clenched jaw, the restless sleep, and the exhaustion that settles in after holding everything together.
You deserve care during this transition, too.
A massage or facial will not make the school forms disappear or pack tomorrow’s lunch, but it can offer something equally important: a place to set everything down. At The Tiny Spa, you do not have to anticipate anyone else’s needs for a little while. You can step away from the schedules, notifications, and endless mental lists and allow yourself to be cared for.
A massage can help soften the physical tension that accumulates during hurried mornings and emotionally full days. A facial can invite you to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and return to yourself beneath all the roles you carry. Both offer a quiet reminder that your well-being matters—not only after everyone else has been cared for, but alongside the care you give so freely.
This back-to-school season, may we give our children the courage to step forward while giving ourselves permission to feel everything that comes with letting them go. May we trust that they are capable of having beautiful experiences beyond our arms. May we remember that difficult mornings do not define us, that laughter can soften even the tensest moments, and that sometimes the most restorative thing we can do is simply stop and take a breath.
And when you need a little more space to breathe, we will be here—ready to care for you while you care for everyone else.
In Love & Gratitude,
Jamie
P.S. August is the final month to experience our Summer Seasonal Facial and Massage before we welcome the slower, grounding rituals of fall in September. If the back-to-school transition has left you feeling tired, tense, or emotionally full, consider this your invitation to pause. Step away from the lists and schedules, soak in the final days of summer, and allow us to care for you while you care for everyone else.
And if you’re in need of a really good laugh, I’ve linked a few of my all-time favorite SNL sketches below—the ones that make me laugh so hard I cry and, quite literally, pee my pants! I grew up watching Saturday Night Live in my bedroom and looked forward to it every weekend. Now we have the gift of revisiting our favorite sketches whenever we need them, and I highly recommend doing exactly that when life feels a little too heavy and you need a moment to simply laugh.
Close Encounter with Ryan Gosling