Maycember for Dance Moms: Why May Is the Real Holiday Hustle

If December is a snow globe of chaos, May is a full-blown glitter bomb—and if you’re a dance mom, you’re basically ground zero.

Between school field days, recitals, competitions, teacher appreciation gifts, class parties, and “Wait, it’s pajama day?!” May is the month that laughs in the face of December’s so-called stress.

This, friends, is Maycember for Dance Moms. And while your calendar is looking like a rainbow-colored game of Tetris, I’ve got the emotional backup and tactical survival guide to help you get through it with your sanity and sarcasm intact.

The Madness of Maycember for Dance Moms

Let’s get one thing clear: May is not just the end of the school year—it’s the boss level of the parenting game.

Dance moms? We’re on hard mode. Your kid has a dress rehearsal Monday, a field trip Tuesday, themed dress-up Wednesday, a final exam Thursday, and a back-to-back comp weekend that starts Friday at 7am three cities away. You haven’t cooked a real meal in weeks, and your car smells like hairspray and desperation.

Why is this month so wild?

• Competition Season Finale: It’s go time. The big comps are here, and they’re always stacked.

• Recitals: There will be 53 versions of "instructions" in your inbox. All of them contradict each other.

• School Stuff: Field days, class parties, concerts, graduations, yearbooks, and don’t forget the "you were supposed to bring cupcakes" text.

• Gifts & Gratitude: Teacher gifts, coach thank-yous, and a heartfelt note that you wrote at 11:47 PM while crying into Goldfish crackers.

  
  

How to Stay Sane During Maycember

Let’s call this survival, but make it sparkly. Here’s how to breathe, cope, and maybe even thrive:

🧠 1. Pick Your Panic

You don’t have to do it all. Seriously. Prioritize what matters this week.

Everything else can be imperfect or skipped altogether. Repeat after me: "Pinterest perfect is not a parenting requirement."

📆 2. Frontload the Calendar

Sit down on Sunday and time-block everything—comp schedules, carpool swaps, hair & makeup plans, and yes, field trip snack signup deadlines. If you don’t schedule it, it will sneak up on you. Like a glitter bomb.

🧺 3. Pack Like a Pro

Keep a recital/competition bag in the car with the essentials (bobby pins, dance shoes, deodorant, socks, mints, safety pins, mascara, and a snack that won’t melt).

Treat it like your Maycember go-bag.

💬 4. Communicate Like a CEO

Email the teachers. Text the group chat. Delegate something. No, really—pass off snack duty, costume steaming, or raffle basket organizing to someone else. You don’t get a trophy for doing it all (but you might cry in your car trying).

🧘🏽‍♀️ 5. Let Go of Guilt

You’re doing a phenomenal job, even if the cupcakes were store-bought and the bun was crooked. Give yourself grace. Maycember isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up (even if you're 15 minutes late and the glitter is still drying).

🌿 Holistic Tip: Set Your Energy Before It Gets Hijacked

We all know how a “normal” May morning goes: You open your eyes to a calendar that looks like a game of Tetris played by a sleep-deprived raccoon. Before your feet hit the ground, your brain is already juggling dance drop-offs, teacher appreciation Pinterest crafts you didn’t ask for, and whether it’s Tie-Dye Tuesday or Wacky Hair Day. It’s a lot.

But here’s a reframe: Instead of waking up reacting to the chaos, what if you started with a moment of intention?

Before you even check your phone (yes, even the studio group chat), take two deep breaths. Feel your shoulders drop.

Then ask yourself: “How do I want to feel today?” Not what you need to do. Not who needs to be where. Just—how do you want to be?

Maybe you want to feel present. Maybe you want to be the calm in the glitter-storm. Maybe you just want to avoid yelling at your family because someone moved the rhinestones. Whatever it is, name it.

That intention becomes your anchor in the sea of “Maycember.”

If you’re into journaling, jot it down. If not, say it out loud while brushing your teeth. (Bonus points if your kids hear it—modeling emotional regulation is the real trophy.)

It might not change your to-do list, but it will change how you show up for it. Your energy sets the tone for your household. And let’s be honest, dance moms? We’re the thermostat, not the thermometer. So set your temperature—then let everything else adjust.

💃 Ways to Breathe Through Maycember for Dance Moms

If your calendar looks like it's been possessed and your energy is measured in iced coffee refills—breathe. Maycember for Dance Moms is real, it's ruthless, and it’s basically December with glitter, spirit week, and a dash of emotional whiplash. But it’s also living proof of how deeply you care.

You’ve navigated costume changes in the car, survived seven back-to-back “urgent” studio emails, and kept your dancer semi-fed and fully sequined. That’s not just impressive—it’s superhero status.

So here’s your gentle but firm permission slip: take a breath, set your intention, and say no when your soul needs a moment. Laugh when the lashes fall off mid-routine. Cry if you need to—then keep going. You’re not just surviving May; you’re leading with heart.

And remember: December has nothing on you.

Psst… Hey Dance Mom!

 If your brain is 90% snack list, 10% "what did I forget?", you need to join the Shine Squad—my free membership made just for busy, slightly frazzled, big-hearted dance moms like you. We’ve got tips, tools, and reminders so you can stop Googling things at midnight and actually enjoy the sparkle. ✨

 Join for free before you forget (again).