Along with the smells of honeysuckle, sunscreen and chlorine, the sensation of stickiness from Pennsylvania humidity intermingled with the residue of popsicles and dripping watermelon, and the buzz of cicadas, nothing quite says “the essence of summer” to me like a slower pace of life. Considering that my work schedule remains unchanged year round, my sense that summer means slow likely stems from the fact that I had long and lazy childhood summers and that those memories have chiseled their way into my summer gestalt. I find myself craving that simpler and slower speed every year as the temperatures rise.

It’s a bit of a fad at the moment to try to give your 2026 children a “90s summer,” and I’m not here to valorize the past or be a cliche in the present. I had to laugh when I saw one mom post “I get the 90s summer nostalgia, but unless your child is deeply invested in three soap operas and watches The Price is Right live every day, it’s not historically accurate.”

We have to be careful not to assume that things were easier and better in the past or that we’re doomed in the present. There was plenty of screen time back in the 90s, and there’s plenty of opportunity for meaningful connection, downtime, and simplicity in the present. We just have to be intentional. 

That’s where today’s post comes in. There are a whole host of ways that I believe we can be intentional about anything from summer vibes to parenting choices, including dedicated prayer about a given topic, journaling, seeking the wisdom of elders and experts, and implementing regular family meetings. One more way is by creating a space that supports your goals. For instance, if you want to raise readers, fill your house with books. If you want to encourage your kids to play outside, make outside a pleasant place to be. 

If a slower place of life is something you crave, for yourself or for your family, here are several ideas of things you can do to create a home that slows you down. 

Keep a rosary box on your coffee table

In my psychotherapy office, I keep a basket full of squishy balls, fidget spinners and pop-its on an eye-level shelf of my bookcase, and I’ve found that children, teenagers and even some adults almost instinctively grab one on the way to their chair to tinker with throughout our hour together. In my parents’ kitchen, my siblings and I can’t keep our hands off the centerpiece pillar candles when we visit. Much to my mom’s chagrin, we fuss with the dripping wax like it’s our full-time job. When I visit any doctor’s office, I find myself leafing through the magazines scattered throughout the waiting room, even if I have zero interest in Architectural Digest and Sports Illustrated at any other time. 

People pick up what’s in front of them. If you want to help the individuals in your home (including yourself) slow down, keep a rosary box on your coffee table. Hands will reach for it, I guarantee. 

Hang a Holy Water font by your front door

Holy water in the home gives us the opportunity to remember our baptismal promises during the everyday moments of life, but it does more than that. It invites us to pause for prayer anytime we enter or exit the home. This pause is valuable in the moment, and it can also serve to set a tone. When you pray the sign of the cross as you walk in your front door, you remind yourself that this home is holy, that this life is holy. You remind yourself not to rush through the rooms of your house or the days of your life. You reposition yourself in the here and now. You slow down. 

Scatter prayer cards through the home

Tape a card to the bathroom mirror. Repurpose one as a bookmark, and invite your children to do the same. Tuck one in the mail basket. And then, make a promise to yourself: anytime you come across the prayer card, use it. Spend a moment in prayer, and set the example for your kids of “interrupting” yourself with an Our Father here, a Hail Holy Queen there, and a Sanctus in between. 

Change your wall art bi-annually 

When the art that’s hung on our walls never changes, it begins to blend into the walls a bit, don't you think? How often do we pause to look at the Madonna and child painting or the framed photographs on the mantle when they’ve been there for years? One way to combat this “fade into the background” mentality is to switch up your home’s decor from time to time. If this sounds expensive and time-consuming, think again. Pick a few pieces throughout your house that you change with the liturgical season, the shift in weather patterns, or even just January first and July first. Kind of like I feel as if I’ve obtained a whole new wardrobe when I swap tees for sweaters in my closet each September, something old can feel new and interesting if you’ve simply given yourself a break from it. You’ll pause to appreciate your art more if it’s not always there.  

And here’s a pro-tip: choose same-sized pieces of art to exchange in a given location to avoid being horrified by the faded paint and/or dusty plaster conundrum that’s often presented when we remove long-hung paintings from the wall. 

Slowing down, be it in summer or any other time of the year, is a worthy goal. It’s good for the body, it’s good for the spirit, and it’s good for the mood. Help yourself along in this endeavor by making your home work for you and not against you. Create a home that slows you down.