As the school year draws to a close, many parents feel like they are on a roller coaster - zooming and looping up and down at such a speed that brings the worried thoughts, “Will I stay safe on this ride? When will it be over? This is too much.”

As the school year draws to a close, many parents feel like they are on a roller coaster - zooming and looping up and down at such a speed that brings the worried thoughts, “Will I stay safe on this ride? When will it be over? This is too much.”

From final projects and field trips to teacher gifts, performances, and ongoing coordination to figure out how to prepare and plan for the summer, May and June can really ring the nervous system alarm bell. Tight chest, racing thoughts, shortened patience, you’re not alone. Really, you aren’t.

What can you possibly do when you are already on the roller coaster, you can’t control the speed or the design, and you can’t get off or make it stop? Tend to your nervous system. This is a critical time to support your nervous system and shift from dysregulated to regulated. Over and over again. Regulation isn't about staying perfectly regulated—it's about noticing when you aren’t and then returning to it in the middle of the storm (or the roller coaster). Yes! In the middle! Don’t wait for things to calm down or slow down. You need this now!

1. Name What You're Feeling

It may sound simple, but just labeling your stress ("I'm feeling overwhelmed" or "I'm anxious about the schedule") helps calm the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for fight-or-flight responses. As Dan Siegel says, “When you name it, you tame it.” Try this aloud or in a journal.

2. Lower the Bar (Yes, Really)

Now is not the time for high-expectations or perfection - for yourself or your family. Ask yourself: “How can I make this simpler?” and “What can I do well enough today?” This shift releases pressure and helps your system feel safe again. Cut out what isn’t absolutely necessary. This might feel tricky because all of it is important. It’s true that a lot of it is important but there may be some things that are necessary. For example: Teacher gifts. It’s important. But, you don’t have to do more than what is necessary for it to remain important and show importance. Maybe this gift is a hand-written, heartfelt note and an e-giftcard to a local bookshop.

3. Build Micro-Moments of Calm & Compassion

Just 30 seconds of conscious breathing—inhale for 4, exhale for 6—can send a message to your body that it’s safe and it deserves to slow down. Try this before pickups, during traffic, or right before you set off to tackle that list of errands weighing you down. Acknowledge how hard it is to keep going and offer yourself a gentle gesture of self-compassion through thought or action. (See this blog-post on self-compassion put into action.)

Run out of self-compassion thoughts and phrases? Here are some to put on your fridge or stick up on post-it notes on your bathroom mirror:

It’s okay to feel this way.

I’m struggling but I’m not alone.

I deserve the love I give myself.

4. Limit the Chaos Inputs

The end of the year often brings an onslaught of emails, flyers, group texts, and schedule changes. Reduce mental overload and overstimulation by batching when you check communications, using a weekly whiteboard/calendar to visualize the chaos in one place, or setting a timer to give yourself boundaries (set the timer for X min then take a break). Your nervous system craves predictability.

5. Use Your Body to Regulate Your Mind

Stress lives in the body. Shake it out, go for a brisk walk, stretch for five minutes—whatever gets you back into your body. Physical movement discharges built-up stress hormones and helps your brain reorient to the present.

6. Co-Regulate With Your Kids

Your kids are likely feeling it too. Their nervous systems take cues from yours. When you stay grounded, you offer them a model for handling their own emotions. Practice shared regulation: deep breaths together, a quiet moment in the car, or a walk without the pressure to talk.

7. Validate That This Is a Lot—Because It Is

You don’t need to “just push through.” It’s okay to say, “This is a really full season, and I’m doing my best.” Normalizing the stress actually softens its grip. When you acknowledge your load, you can start to respond to it with more compassion and less judgment.

You Deserve Support, Too

End-of-school chaos is real. But you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through it. By building in small, regular moments of nervous system support, you give yourself the resilience to handle the season with a little more grace—and a lot more self-kindness.

You’re not just surviving. You’re modeling calm, courage, and connection. And that’s something your kids will remember far more than a perfect end-of-year celebration.