Why Back-to-School Season Feels So Overwhelming for Moms
TL;DR: Back-to-school isn’t just about buying supplies and adjusting bedtimes—it’s a full-on mental, emotional, and logistical shift that can leave moms running on fumes. Whether you’re navigating kindergarten drop-offs, managing inconsistent routines, or juggling work with chaotic schedules, it’s a lot. If you’re feeling burned out, resentful, or like you’re already behind before September even starts—you’re not alone. Support like therapy for mothers or therapy intensives in Ohio can help you reset, regulate, and come back to yourself. You were never meant to hold it all without help.
It’s just kindergarten, right? That’s what they say.
But if your chest is tight and your brain won’t stop spinning, if you’ve cried in the Target school supply aisle or sat awake at night wondering how five years flew by so fast, you’re not alone. Starting kindergarten is a milestone for kids, sure. But it’s also a milestone for you.
Whether you’re navigating bus schedules and drop-off lines or trying to remember how to pack a lunch that won’t come back untouched, this new season can feel like a lot. And it is.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or just a little off? Here’s why. And here’s what you can do about it.
Transitions Are Big—Even When They’re "Normal"
The start of the school year doesn’t just mean a new backpack and a class list. It means:
Waking up earlier
Rushed mornings
New routines
Tighter schedules
Increased mental load
It also means separation.
For some moms, this is the first time they’re handing their child over to someone else for the majority of the day. For others, it’s another reminder of how fast time is moving. Either way, there’s grief here. Even if you’re proud. Even if you’re relieved.
Kindergarten Marks the End of an Era
Kindergarten doesn’t just mark the beginning of school. It often feels like the end of babyhood.
This little person who used to nap on your chest and needed your help for everything suddenly has their own teacher, their own friends, their own world. And even if that’s beautiful, it’s also bittersweet.
There are lunches to pack. Emails from the school. PTA sign-ups. Field trip forms. Spirit weeks. The cognitive shift from being in survival mode with a toddler to now being the keeper of a thousand new details is real. It takes energy. It takes space. And when you’re already tapped out, it can tip you over.
The Invisible Load of Back-to-School Season
Let’s name it: The mental and emotional labor of this season is massive.
You’re:
Anticipating what your child will need
Helping them manage their emotions
Managing your own emotions
Coordinating logistics
Adjusting your work or home schedule
Worrying if they’ll make friends, like their teacher, feel safe
And maybe you’re doing it all without extra support. Maybe the grandparents don’t live nearby. Maybe your partner travels. Maybe you’re a single parent or the default parent or just really, really tired.
Why It Might Feel Harder Than You Expected
Sometimes, this season is extra activating because it brings up our own stuff:
Maybe you had a hard time in school
Maybe you felt misunderstood by teachers
Maybe you were a perfectionist and you see those same patterns in your child
Maybe you didn’t feel supported by your parents and you’re determined to do it differently
All of that lives in your nervous system. And big transitions have a way of poking those old wounds.
What Burnout Looks Like This Time of Year
It’s not just being tired. It’s:
Snapping over socks and shoes
Crying in your car after drop-off
Feeling resentful about how much is on your plate
Brain fog so thick you forget what you were doing mid-task
The constant hum of "I can't do this, but I have to"
This is more than just a busy week. It’s mental and emotional overload. And it deserves care.
Therapy for Mothers: Why It Helps
If you're feeling like you’re barely hanging on right now, you're not alone. As a therapist in Ohio who works with moms, I see this every year: the flood of emotions that back-to-school season brings.
This is why therapy for mothers matters. Not just when there’s a crisis, but when life is asking a lot of you and you need space to breathe.
In therapy, we unpack the pressure. The expectations. The grief and guilt and rage and pride and joy—yes, sometimes all at once.
Why Therapy Intensives Can Be a Game Changer
Back-to-school is not a great time for once-a-week therapy. It’s hard enough to make it to the grocery store, let alone fit in regular sessions. That’s why I offer therapy intensives in Ohio for moms.
With a therapy intensive, you get:
Dedicated, uninterrupted time to process what’s coming up
Real tools to regulate your nervous system
A chance to feel seen, heard, and supported without rushing
You don’t need to wait until everything crashes. Support can happen before the breakdown.
Tips to Lighten the Load Right Now
Here are a few things that can help:
1. Don’t Overcommit
It’s okay to say no to the PTA. Or the extra activity. Or anything that doesn’t work for your family. More isn’t better if it leaves you depleted.
2. Create "Margins"
Give yourself buffer time between transitions—ten minutes between pickup and your next task, space between work and dinner, quiet time before bed. Margins help your brain reset.
3. Focus on Connection, Not Perfection
If mornings are chaotic, try to build in one moment of connection: a hug, a silly joke, a shared breath. That matters more than getting everything just right.
4. Let the Tears Come
Yours and theirs. Big feelings are normal. Let them move through you instead of bottling them up.
5. Ask for (and Accept) Help
Even if it’s just someone else doing school pickup one day. Or grabbing you coffee. Let support in.
To the Mom Who's Struggling Right Now
You’re not making this up. You’re not weak. You’re in a big life transition that deserves tenderness.
And while you’re supporting everyone else, you deserve support, too.
Whether it’s ongoing therapy or a therapy intensive in Columbus, Ohio, I’m here to help you find your footing again.
Because you can do hard things. I promise you can, mama.
