'Maycember' is real: Here's how parents are surviving the chaos
If you're feeling like you're crawling to the finish line of the school year, you're not alone.
For parents, May has become the unofficial second December, a month packed with school events, sports tournaments, final projects and celebrations, all jammed into a calendar that seems to be working against you. Welcome to Maycember.
Made famous by viral creators The Holderness Family, Maycember captures the frenzied energy of December, minus the holiday cheer and cultural permission to rest.
And it's not just a clever name -- parents are taking to social media in droves to commiserate, posting memes, confessions and even countdowns to summer break. A recent Scary Mommy post about Maycember struck a nerve, racking up over 22,000 likes and more than 26,000 shares on Instagram alone.
"I hadn't heard the term before, but wow, what a perfect way to describe this whirlwind of a month," Maru Acosta, a mom of two girls ages 6 and 4 in Boca Raton, Florida, told "Good Morning America." "It truly captures the chaos and nonstop pace of May, it feels like December without the sparkle and gifts."
Meanwhile, Charlotte Shaff, a mom of two teen boys in Phoenix, Arizona, is well-versed in the term. "I've been using Maycember for years," she said, speaking with "GMA." "In 2022, I even posted 'May is Cray' on Facebook after juggling PTO duties, birthdays, client meetings, track meets and planning Mother's Day for both sides of the family. I was exhausted just looking at my calendar."
What makes May so overwhelming?
For younger kids, May brings a string of joyful but time-consuming activities: recitals, teacher appreciation week, spirit days and classroom parties. For older kids, it means finals, projects, promotion ceremonies and non-stop sports.
Shaff described May as a marathon.
"My 8th grader is deep in promotion season, dances, award ceremonies, presentations, and my high school freshman is fitting in studying between weeknight track meets," she said. "They're managing, but they're tired. Honestly, so am I."
For Acosta, the May chaos crept in right after spring break. "Between school events, birthday parties and a packed calendar at work, there was no time to reset," she said.
Acosta, who works in public relations, added, "We went straight from Easter to Mother's Day campaigns without a break."
Surviving Maycember: What's actually working
Both moms admitted that perfection is off the table -- and that's actually freeing.
Each also offered tips to other parents suffering from Maycember burnout.
1. Let some things go
"I've worked through the mom guilt and learned to be OK missing some things," said Acosta. "I can't do it all, but I can be present in whatever role I'm in."
Shaff agreed.
"Boundaries? What are those?" she joked. "But I do give myself permission to skip non-priority events. That and a DryBar membership have saved me this season."
2. Lean on the village
Both families rely heavily on teamwork. "My husband is on breakfast and homework duty," said Shaff. "We have a shared calendar, so someone's always got eyes on what's next."
Acosta added, "Delegating has been a game-changer, whether that's leaning on other parents or bringing in freelance help at work. You can't do May alone."
3. Make space for sanity
Acosta said she carves out nonnegotiable time for exercise. "It's my anchor," she said. "If I'm grounded, I can handle the chaos better."
Shaff said she prioritizes self-care where she can. "One massage or facial a month, and I try not to feel bad about it," she said.
4. Rest where you can, even if it's not much
Shaff said her kids are training for track and field nationals in Oregon next month and still have summer classes in June, but she said they're used to the rhythm.
"We let them rest on days off and try not to overschedule weekends," she said.
Acosta's young daughters, meanwhile, are still in the stage of excitement over pressure, and she said she's savoring that.
"They're just counting down the days to camp and dreaming about summer," she said. "It's joyful, and I'm soaking it up while it lasts."
Whether you're juggling PTO boards and track meets or kindergarten graduations and birthday parties, Maycember is the season of doing too much with too little time. But the shared experience is part of what makes it manageable, and even meaningful.
"Being a mom is always my top priority," said Acosta. "But there are days when work demands more of me, and I've made peace with that."
Shaff summed it up perfectly: "In four years, my boys will be out of the house. So I'm trying to embrace the chaos. Kind of."
