Summer is here, and Jesse and Tona are keeping it real: they love summer, and it also asks a lot of them. In this episode, they sit down (virtually, because summer pivots happen to hosts too) to talk honestly about what it actually feels like to parent through the loss of structure — and what it can look like to find your footing in the middle of the season.

They cover everything from the emotional load working parents carry when school lets out, to practical ideas for younger kids and teenagers alike. Whether your summer is high-energy or gloriously low-key, this conversation is a permission slip to stop trying to curate someone else's summer and start trusting your own.

In this episode:

Why summer can feel like something you have to survive even when you love it

The difference between structure and rigidity — and why predictable rhythms matter for kids

Practical, low-cost ideas for younger kids

The "summer of ___" concept for kids & teenagers

Boredom tolerance as a regulation skill — and what to do when your child genuinely can't self-entertain

Resources & Mentions:

ETC Summer Survival Kit

Use Scaffolding - Free downloadable, Podcast Episode 90 & Episode 147, and we just wrote about this in our newest ETC Newsletter!

The Lazy Genius Collective / Kendra Adachi

Inside Out 2 (the character Ennui)