Episode 82: I Love Summer So Much That I Grieve It Every Year

Summer doesn’t just end, it disappears, and if you’re a parent you can feel it in your bones. Tajuana hops on for a raw solo check-in from home (with a sick kid nearby) and talks about why the last weeks of summer can bring real sadness, not just mild nostalgia. Warm weather, long evenings, pool days, and that no-routine freedom can make us feel like our best selves, and saying goodbye to it can feel like a yearly grieving process.

We also get honest about big life transitions: this being Tajuana's last summer in her 30s, turning 40 soon, and watching kids move into new stages like second grade and “big school.” That mix of gratitude and ache is so familiar in motherhood and adulthood, where you’re trying to stay present while the calendar keeps sprinting forward. If you’ve ever thought, “Why can’t I just let the season go?” you’ll recognize yourself here.

Then we zoom out to Fall. We love the cozy parts, pumpkin rules included, and we also name the other side: back-to-school pressure, packed schedules, and the dread that can come with shorter days, daylight savings time, and seasonal depression. Tajuana also shares why 9/11 still brings heavy emotions, and how certain dates remind us that time keeps moving, whether we’re ready or not.

Listen, then come talk to us. Subscribe to Turn the Paige Podcast, share this with a friend who’s also mourning Summer, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What do you do to cope when the season shifts?