We're just a few days out from the end of Daylight Savings Time (reminder, coming up Nov 2) and there’s something uniquely soul-crushing about realizing it’s fully dark at 5:02 p.m. You’re still mid-email, the kids are unraveling, and somehow it already feels like midnight. We’re officially in the “why is everyone crying before dinner” season. 😢
This week’s mission: make peace with the dark (or at least survive it). Here are three tiny tweaks that’ll help you fake serenity till bedtime. Oohhhhmmm.
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🧘♀️ Use All 3 Senses to Signal “Wind Down”
👉 Instead of yelling “time to calm down!” for the tenth time, let your environment do the work. Build an easy sensory signal system that tells everyone it’s time to chill, without saying a word.
Sight: switch to warm, low lighting (lamps, string lights, literally anything not overhead).
Sound: turn on a soft playlist, kids’ audiobook/podcast, or rain sounds.
(Hint: We like Story Pirates for imaginative stories, Wow in the World for science-themed fun, or Circle Round for folktales. Here's a great Reddit thread with lots more kid-friendly listening ideas.)
Smell: simmer cinnamon sticks and orange peel on the stove, or swipe a lavender rollerball on your wrist.
It’s a small shift that helps overstimulated brains power down faster - even if it’s just yours.
🍽 The Bathtub Snack Hack
👉 If the late afternoon gremlins are back, meet your new low-effort sanity-saver: snack in the tub.
Dust off that bougie tray tub you haven't used in 3 years and serve a simple combo: apple slices + peanut butter, cheese stick + grapes, cream cheese + cucumber/pretzels, whatevs. (We prefer stuff that doesn’t get waterlogged so easily because they will absolutely dunk their food in the water like oversized raccoons.)
They eat, splash, and decompress while you supervise from a chair with your phone like it’s self-care. Heck, soak your feet too and take the time for a little actual self-care while you're at it.
Bonus: fewer crumbs, cleaner kid, calmer night.
Did you know? 🧃 JuiceBox is built by a tiny team of working parents just like you. We curate and write this stuff so you don’t have to but we’d LOVE for you to get in on the action.
💬 Got a time-saving tip or a chaos-fighting hack of your own? Hit reply and share it—we all need a village, and we’d love to hear from you.
👯♀️ Know a fellow parent who needs this? Forward away or hit this button:
💗 Wish-on-a-Star Reset
👉 When it’s dark before dinner, go outside and make it a moment.
Step out with your kid(s) and make a wish on the first “star” (or airplane, no one’s judging). No pressure for deep thoughts —> “I wish for tacos” totally counts. It reframes the early dark from “ugh, bedtime’s coming” to “hey, we get a pause.”
(Grandma did this at our house with my kiddo one time and she's been absolutely obsessed with saying hello to the moon ever since.)
💼 This Week’s Work WTF
Inspired by real life events.
Scenario:
Your boss just “invited everyone” to bring a homemade dish to the office holiday lunch in a few weeks. You’re already working, parenting, and barely reheating leftovers.
What We Wish We Could Say:
“Sure, I’ll whip up a batch of resentment brownies.”
Steal This Response:
“Thanks for organizing! I’m happy to contribute. Would you rather I bring something store-bought or help with setup instead?”
K that’s all. You’re the best and we love you.
-CK “Can’t See Well Enough to Tell Airplanes from Stars” Fuller (Editor) & the JB Crew 🫡
P.S. Next week: Turkey, Deadlines, and RSVPs - Oh My. Between work crunch, school events, and family group chats gone rogue, we’re tackling holiday logistics, boundary-setting, and saying “no” without starting World War III.