The After School Scoop: A New Year, A Softer Start

1-9-2026

January comes in loud.

New goals. New routines. New expectations.More doing. More fixing. More pressure to “start fresh.”

But in our house this January feels… different.

Before sports restart. Before the calendars fill. Before the rushing begins.There’s a quiet here. A pause. A softness.

At the dinner table, we talked about how January actually feels right now.

Happy.

Relaxed.

A little out of routine — but calm.

The family noticed it right away. Less rushing. Fewer places to be. More time to just be. And even though they’re excited for friends, sports, and structure to return, there was a shared awareness:

“This feels like the quiet before the storm.”

So instead of jumping straight into resolutions, we asked a different question:

How do we protect this calm when life speeds up again?

The answers weren’t complicated — and that’s the point.

We talked about:

• Getting organized before things get busy

• Preparing what we need before doing what we want

• Slowing down transitions in and out of the house

• Giving ourselves more buffer time than we think we need

• Planning meals, packing snacks, and choosing comfort where we can

• Prioritizing sleep

• Taking mindful moments before we leave and when we return home

  
  

One of the most important reminders came naturally in the conversation:

You’re not behind.

Not in school. Not in sports. Not in life.

Everyone moves at a different pace. Growth isn’t a race, and January doesn’t require a brand-new version of you. Who you are right now is already enough.

This year, we’re choosing something different.

Not louder goals.Not faster schedules.Not more pressure.

• We’re choosing calm over chaos.

• Preparation over panic.

• Connection over comparison.

A softer start.

And maybe — just maybe — that’s exactly what our nervous systems need.

Warmly,

Carter, Kingston, Ezra, and Marie

Kingston, Carter, Marie, & Ezra