Summer brings sunshine, splash pads, late bedtimes… and sometimes a little more chaos than calm.
The school-year structure has faded, routines are looser, and everyone’s rhythm is a little different. While summer can be a time for rest and fun, it can also be the perfect season to practice a new skill as a family—something we call the “ready stance.”
You’ve probably seen a ready stance before:
🏀 A basketball player on the balls of their feet, ready for the pass
🎾 A tennis player bouncing lightly, eyes sharp and focused
🏐 A volleyball player crouched, alert and agile
They’re not frozen or frantic—they’re focused and flexible, ready for whatever comes next.
What if your family had a version of that?
🧠 What Is a “Ready Stance” for Everyday Life?
A ready stance isn’t just for athletes. It’s a helpful tool for anyone—kids and adults—who sometimes:
- Struggle to shift from one activity to another
- React quickly and emotionally when something unexpected happens
- Get “stuck” when things don’t go as planned
- Need help focusing or calming their body
(That’s… most of us, right?)
A mental and physical ready stance helps you pause, center yourself, and prepare before responding. It’s a powerful practice to build over the summer when there’s space to slow down and try new things.
🌟 The 4 Parts of a Ready Stance
Here’s what we’re aiming for—not perfection, but progress:
1. Relaxed
Your body isn’t stiff or slouching. You feel grounded, like you’re standing tall with soft knees or sitting upright with relaxed shoulders. Your breath is calm.
2. Attentive
Eyes up. Ears open. You’re tuned into what’s happening right now, not stuck on what just happened or what might go wrong.
3. Flexible
You’re open to change. The day might not go how you planned, but you can bend instead of break.
4. Agile
You’re able to take action—whether that’s asking for help, taking a break, or moving onto the next activity.
🏡 Practicing the Ready Stance at Home
Summer is full of chances to play with this idea. Try some of these simple strategies to build your family’s version of a ready stance:
👣 Make it Physical
- Stand with feet planted and knees soft.
- Hands on hips or at your sides.
- Take one big breath in, one slow breath out.
- Say out loud: “I’m ready.”
Kids LOVE turning this into a superhero or ninja move. You can name it something fun like “focus pose” or “brain boost stance.”
🧘♂️ Add a Cue
Use the ready stance before:
- Starting a board game
- Leaving the house
- Beginning homework or reading time
- Having a family conversation
You might say: “Let’s all take our ready stance first.” It gives everyone a beat to pause and prepare.
💬 Use Real-Life Moments
Instead of rushing through transitions or meltdowns, gently invite your child to reset:
“Whoa—that was a big feeling. Want to take your ready stance with me before we figure out what’s next?”
“We didn’t expect the park to be closed. Let’s take a ready stance and decide what we can do instead.”
💡 Why This Works
The ready stance gives the brain a moment to settle. When we pause and take a breath, we’re helping our kids (and ourselves!) shift from reacting automatically to responding intentionally.
And that small shift?
It’s what helps with:
- Emotional regulation
- Focus and follow-through
- Flexibility and resilience
Summer is a perfect time to work on this. Fewer deadlines, more space to practice.
❤️ Final Thought: It’s Not About Perfection
You’ll forget. The kids will roll their eyes. You’ll try it in the middle of a meltdown and get nowhere. That’s okay. You’re planting seeds.
Every time you model a pause, a breath, or a shift in mindset, you’re teaching your family that being ready isn’t about controlling everything—it’s about being able to handle anything.
So go ahead:
☀️ Pause before the next summer adventure.
🏖️ Breathe before the next poolside squabble.
🍉 Reset before the next change in plans.
And find your family’s ready stance—one calm, focused moment at a time.
#FamilyWellness #ReadyStance #SummerSkills #BrainHealthAtHome #ParentingTools #ExecutiveFunctioning #EmotionalRegulation
