Rituals of Grounding: Staying Steady in the Swirl of Summer

By Meghan R. Kaloper, LMHC

The Challenge of Summer for Parents and Families

As summer approaches, many parents I work with begin to express a familiar tension: “I want to enjoy the season, but I’m already bracing myself.”
More daylight hours, fewer structured routines, vacations, transitions, and camps—it can feel like everything is speeding up just as you’re craving rest.

If you're a parent trying to support a child through emotional ups and downs, or you're navigating your own sense of overwhelm, you're not alone. Summer’s swirl can be invigorating—but without grounding rituals, it can also be dysregulating.

Let’s explore how intentional daily practices can bring steadiness—not just to your nervous system—but to your child’s as well.

Grounding vs. Routine: What’s the Difference?

Routines are often about productivity and structure. Grounding rituals, on the other hand, are about presence. They’re small, intentional acts that tether us to ourselves—body, mind, and spirit.

For parents, grounding rituals create a pause between the many roles you inhabit: caregiver, employee, partner, planner, problem-solver. For kids, especially those prone to anxiety or behavioral reactivity, these rituals provide predictability, regulation, and a sense of emotional safety.

Rituals to Ground Yourself as a Parent

These practices can be tailored to your lifestyle, energy level, and time constraints. You don’t need to do them all—choose one that fits your life and start small.

🌞 1. Gratitude Journaling

Take 3–5 minutes to note what you're grateful for. Try pairing this with your morning coffee or evening wind-down. Over time, this quiet practice rewires your brain for appreciation rather than overwhelm.

With your teen: Invite them to share one highlight from the day. If they resist, try: “What made you laugh today?” or “What’s something that didn’t suck?”

🫁 2. Intentional Breathwork

Before jumping into your to-do list, pause. Take 3 deep belly breaths with your hand on your heart. Inhale for 4, exhale for 6. This short reset calms the nervous system and helps you respond rather than react.

With your child: Use a visual like a Hoberman sphere or teach them to breathe along with a stuffed animal rising and falling on their belly.

🕯 3. Transition Rituals

After work, after pickup, before bedtime—these are perfect times for grounding transitions. Sip a warm beverage, stretch, light a candle, or play soft music for five minutes as a “bridge” from one part of your day to the next.

With your child: Create a predictable “end-of-day” moment: a shared snack, a cuddle on the couch, or a few pages of a favorite book.

🎵 4. Song of the Day

Choose one song that meets your emotional needs: calming, uplifting, energetic or intense. Music is a powerful co-regulator for both you and your child.

With your teen or tween: Create a shared playlist of “feel better” songs. Let them pick the genre and talk about what the lyrics mean to them.

🌿 5. Grounding Walk

Start or end your day with a short, distraction-free walk outside. Tune in to your senses: What do you hear, see, smell, or feel? Put your headphones away and really pay attention to your surroundings instead.

With your child: Take a “noticing walk.” Say, “Let’s each point out five things we didn’t see yesterday.” This turns a simple walk into a mindfulness practice.

💬 6. Daily Affirmations

Repeat a grounding phrase that supports your nervous system. Try:

• “I can do this one step at a time.”

• “I am allowed to rest.”

• “I show up with care, not perfection.”

With your child: Use affirmations that build confidence. For example: “I can try again,” or “My feelings make sense, “It’s OK to feel_______ (frustrated, angry, sad)”

A Morning Grounding Prompt (For You or Your Child)

Take 60 seconds in the morning to ask yourself:

“What does my body, heart, and mind need today?”

Use the answer to guide your choices, boundaries, and energy. This question also works beautifully as a simple check-in with your child. You can pause and think, or if you have more time you can journal to allow space and time to process how to proceed with authenticity.

Why Grounding Matters—Especially in Summer

In therapy sessions and parent coaching, I often hear how summer throws kids—and parents—off balance. The structure of school disappears, transitions increase, and stimulation ramps up. Many kids exhibit more anxiety, oppositional behavior, or emotional flooding. Parents often feel depleted, reactive, or unsure how to respond.

This isn’t about “doing summer better.” It’s about giving yourself and your child emotional anchors—tools that regulate the nervous system, reinforce connection, and foster presence.

The Takeaway

You don’t need an hour-long morning routine or a lifestyle overhaul. You just need one steadying ritual that feels accessible and meaningful. If that ritual stops working, adapt it. Let it evolve.

When we ground ourselves, we create the inner steadiness we wish to see in our homes.

And if your child or teen is struggling this summer—emotionally, socially, or behaviorally—therapy can help. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, unsure how to support them, or simply burnt out, parent coaching is a safe space to get practical tools and validation.

Ready to Get Support?

At Root to Rise Counseling, I specialize in working with:

• Children and teens navigating anxiety, transitions, school challenges, or emotional regulation

• Parents and caregivers seeking tools, insight, and grounding through 1:1 parent coaching
  

Therapy and coaching sessions are available in-person in Crown Hill or via telehealth across Washington state.

📍 *Located in Crown Hill, Seattle
🖥 Telehealth available statewide
📩 Click here to inquire about availability or email me at: meghan@root2risecounseling.com
🌿 Learn more at www.root2risecounseling.com