Boredom. We know, intellectually, that on some level it’s a good thing for our children. It’s important for them to have time and space to 
create their own worlds. Run around. And just play.
Yet when boredom hits the whole family, it may be time to look for new ideas. We’ve now been home in this alternate reality universe for 14 weeks. Enough time to drive anyone up a wall. And we’re getting tired of the go-to outings that keep us all marginally sane.
To help you mix things up this summer, I’m delighted this week to introduce you to Caitlin Iseler. She’s one of the co-founders of happyly, a family activity-planning app that just may spice things up for you over the coming weeks. Here’s Caitlin to tell us more about happyly…and note the special offer for a free consult!
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The Birth of happyly
Happyly was founded by two working mothers who, while absolutely loving the mommy role, were overwhelmed by the juggling required. The struggle is real. But rather than just accept it, we set out to solve it. It became our mission to uncover the joy and balance we believed was within reach for ourselves and all the busy moms of the world.
After becoming a mom, I was busy traveling for work, stressed, and unfulfilled. Really, I was just trying to stay afloat. In search of balance, I spent hours 
late at night planning our time together outside of work and also making sure my baby’s time was well-spent with her caregiver while I couldn’t be with her. It was my hope that despite my desperate need for sleep, my time was well spent. I was deliberately planning fulfilling days that were good for our mental health and aligned with our values.
It was increasingly frustrating how much research was required. And so much depended on sources that may or may not have ever actually experienced the activity personally. Even once I settled on something, I could never have real confidence the experience would be worthwhile. I often found my time wasted when we ended up disappointed. What I did learn, however, was how much was out there to see and do. And I knew that surviving could turn to THRIVING with a few tweaks.
The outdoors and the rejuvenating effects of fresh air always speak to me. I am passionate about ensuring my daughter has access to and an appreciation for the rewards of an outdoor, active lifestyle. The endorphins that fill your body and soul after exercising, or simply finding quiet, wonder, and beauty in nature, have a lasting impact on our health and well-being.
This set of values drives me to inspire families to experience that same joy together while removing the need for wasted time planning your next adventure. And so, happyly was born.
Tools for Creating Memorable Moments for Your Family
Happyly is the country’s only mobile-first family activity planning app focused on helping families live their best life.
We provide tools for living a fulfilling, balanced, and active family life. How? By delivering inspiration that fits your personal needs, whether it be for planning an afternoon or a long journey. With the help of happyly, you will save hours of wasted time planning, as well as the frustration and disappointment your tribe feels when your plans don’t turn out as you hoped.
By doing the leg work and endorsing our favorite activities based on first-hand knowledge, our expert team saves valuable time for our community, empowering parents to be fully present when it matters most. Working parents spend an average of twelve waking hours a week with their children. When you break it all down, it’s not a lot. So even just one or two hours a week spent searching or planning is just too many. Let us help you spend less time planning and more time experiencing life together.
But What About the COVID-Variety of Boredom?
With a COVID-19 summer presenting a whole new set of challenges, including fewer extracurricular activities, our free app will prove integral 
in juggling work while keeping kids safe and entertained. As we anticipate the most unique summer in our parenthood history, our team has been researching and experiencing life in and around many metro areas to ensure we are equipped with all the resources necessary to keep our incredible happyly community inspired.
We are already live in thirty cities. So take a look at the app to check out our coverage in your area. If we aren’t there yet, we’ll get to you soon! Currently, we are best equipped to deliver curated physical distancing content in Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, and Nashville, as well as Denver, Colorado and Jackson, Wyoming.
A Gift from happyly to the Mindful Return Community
Whether you want help planning COVID-19 safe outings for the weekend, ideas that will inspire your caregiver or spouse when you’re working, or you are able to work remotely and want to incorporate a road trip into your summer, we’re here and eager to help.
Our team is offering the Mindful Return community a free 1:1 appointment to deliver you personalized and curated recommendations. It is our goal to help you spend less time planning, more time experiencing life together!
We are here to serve you and can’t wait to connect. Within 24 hours of your request, we will deliver personalized recommendations to your inbox. Please email caitliniseler@happyly.com to schedule a time to chat in the coming days. Or if you prefer to communicate exclusively by email that works too!
We look forward to hearing from you, friends!!
Please check out our blog for more inspiration, such as Happyly Tools for Families At Home During COVID-19, or Five Survival Tactics For Parents During the Summer of COVID-19. Most importantly, join us in A Few Moments of Silence so we can all keep our balance during this unstructured time.
While you’re at it, we highly encourage you to check out The Big Thing: Taking Charge of the Emotional Health of Children in This New World.
Please download the free happyly app, the country’s only mobile-first family activity planning app, for fast access to all of our frequent blog content, favorite activities, and expertly designed curated days, both locally and in many communities and travel destinations across the country.
Want more practical tips on working parenthood? Check out my book, Back to Work After Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave
