"do I wear you out?"

All I Really Want by Alanis Morrisette (I've been listening to this album and it's still so good!)

Let me be real Reader,

I'm so burned out right now. I reallllllllly overdid it this summer.

During work hours, I went all in creating The K Delay. It's consumed every second of my work day since May...and will for the time being. When you create something you're passionate about, it consumes you. It's hard to let go.

After work, I went all in for my community. Family vacations, supporting through two tough family events, a best friend's baby shower, and right now I'm headed to the airport to visit a friend that needs some TLC

I'll continue showing up for my people: When you've got family and friends your passionate about, it consumes you. It's hard to let go.

But as I sat at my desk to write this- tears filled my eyes. My chest got tight. My thoughts left my head. Writing my weekly newsletter (which I truly enjoy) became impossible.

Because friend, I'm so gosh darn dysregulated right now!!!

Ok Natalie, but what's that got to do with kids?

Honey- it's back to school season. You're telling me the kids aren't dysregulated?! 🤣

The transition from summer break to school is wild.

Kids are going from pretty relaxed environments (yes, even if they were at camp), back to an early wake up, paying attention, and only eating at assigned times.

They are jumping into a whole new routine, and it's pretty demanding.

Expect even the most calm, collected kid to nap hard after school, cry over nothing, and sweat the small stuff.

And I wonder- are you feeling the same way too?

So here's 3 tips to get back on track:

• Cancel Everything: The first two weeks of school needs a moratorium on activities. I believe this so deeply, that I cancel all my tutoring sessions at the beginning of the school year.
• Move Your Body: Struggling to get on that sleep schedule? Go outside and play. Feeling stressed? Get on your bike. Been sitting all day? Let's go to the park. Breaking a sweat is a recipe for smiles, better sleep, and overall wellness!
• Schedule it Out: Create a calendar your child can see at any time. This will give your child a sense of control. I love these giant wall calendars to keep track of your month!
  • For young kids (PreK / Kinder), limit it to 3-5 days at a time. Label "school" and "home" days. Spend time every day looking at the calendar and crossing off the days
  • For older kids (1st Grade and up), focus on up to a month at a time. Balance out any unpleasant tasks (math quiz) with fun items (birthday party)

As soon as I get back from this trip- I'm going to treat myself like the little kid I am. It's gonna be a routine, balanced meals, a proper bedtime, and plenty of downtime. How are you doing?

What's New?

👩‍🏫 Back to School: Open House? Meet the Teacher? Make a great impression by asking these questions! I teamed up with my favorite speech pathologist, Sydney Bassard to make 6 questions to ask when you meet your child's teacher. Get it here​

🎟️ Workshop Sale!: This is the lowest I discount tickets! Charlotte friends: if you're thinking about applying your future kindergartner to magnet, charter, or private schools next year then you've got to attend! Save $15 with code: backtoschool​

🇳🇱 Out of Office: I'm headed to Breda, The Netherlands to visit my best friend and her 1 year old daughter. I'm looking forward to getting all the snuggles, catching up, and enjoying the Dutch countryside. We even are going to take an overnight in Antwerp, Belgium! If you've got recomendations send them my way!

Things I Love

💐 So Cute! My favorite calendar / planner company came out with seasonal stickers. Each month has cute stickers for all occasions. Use these with your kids to give them ownership over their calendar.

🍋🍋‍🟩 Quench: I hate most diet sodas, but recently I had two that nailed it. I had this one at a summer concert and it was so refreshing. And absolutely 5 stars to this one! ​

Hang in there- we've got this!