Beyond Back-to-School: Reclaiming Celebration for Single and Childfree Women

Every August and early September, my social media feeds fill up one thing: back-to-school photos on the front porch. The smiling kids in fresh outfits holding signs for their first day of school. The proud captions about what grade they’re entering, what sport they’re trying this year, or how fast they’re growing up.

And while those moments are sweet, I can’t help but notice a bigger pattern: most people are endlessly celebrating others—their kids, their spouses, their families—yet they almost never pause to celebrate themselves. Their lives are curated around milestones that belong to someone else. Promotions, personal growth, private victories? Those don’t usually get their own spotlight.

We’re expected to clap, comment, and cheer for every one of their milestones—and often, we do so gladly. But when it comes to celebrating ourselves, suddenly it feels “too much,” “self-absorbed,” or “not important enough.” The double standard is glaring.

And here’s the piece that’s missing: what about championing ourselves? What about celebrating the moments where we are in the driver’s seat of our own lives?

Because here’s the reality: as single and childfree people, we often get nothing. No showers for moving into our first home. No registry when we start over after heartbreak or loss. No annual spotlight on social media when we hit a major milestone. No built-in cultural rituals that say, “This matters.”

We’re expected to show up for everyone else’s milestones, but when it comes to ours, the world is silent. And over time, that silence can trick us into believing our lives are somehow less important, less valuable, or less worthy of applause.

But here’s the truth: the moments we carve out for ourselves—the risks, the triumphs, the dreams realized—are just as worthy of balloons, cake, and a standing ovation.

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Why We Need More Celebrations That Aren’t About Kids or Marriage

Life outside the traditional “marriage-house-babies” track is overflowing with victories that deserve to be shouted from the rooftops. Think about it: earning your degree at 40 after years of hard work and sacrifice, finally paying off the debt that kept you awake at night, building a business from nothing but an idea, moving into your own place after a painful breakup or a season of instability, or booking that solo trip you’ve been dreaming about for a decade.

These are not small wins. They are defining moments. They represent grit, perseverance, courage, and self-trust. They are milestones that prove you are capable of creating a life on your own terms.

What a party feels like when you are single and childfree

And yet, because these moments don’t match the “default script” that society constantly praises, they often pass by quietly. No balloons. No champagne toasts. No big gatherings where everyone claps and says, “We’re so proud of you.”

Instead, they get reduced to a casual, “That’s awesome!” comment—if they’re acknowledged at all. Over time, that silence can chip away at how we see ourselves. It can make us question whether our milestones are “worthy enough” to be celebrated. It can make us feel like our lives are somehow less full or meaningful simply because they don’t look like everyone else’s.

But here’s the truth: those quiet, overlooked wins are often the most powerful. They don’t just mark external achievements—they represent internal breakthroughs, healing, resilience, and self-empowerment. And if society won’t throw us a party for them, then maybe it’s time we throw one for ourselves.

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Find What Matters to You and YOUR Single & Childfree Life

That’s why International Childfree Day (August 1) matters to me. It’s not just about acknowledging a lifestyle choice; it’s about giving permission to celebrate our milestones just as loudly, joyfully, and unapologetically as anyone else.

Think about it: we have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day—entire holidays set aside to honor people for the roles they play in someone else’s life. And while those roles are important and absolutely worthy of acknowledgment, where are the days that honor us simply for being who we are, for the bold choices we’ve made, for the lives we’ve built outside the norms?

As single and childfree people, our accomplishments often vanish into the background because they’re not tied to a relationship status or a parental role. There’s no built-in celebration for “Bought My First House Day,” “Survived A Year Of Grief Day,” or “Started A Business From Scratch Day.” Society cheers when we step into roles that serve others, but it grows quiet when we step fully into ourselves.

And that’s why I see International Childfree Day as more than just a quirky, niche recognition—it’s a powerful statement: our lives, our milestones, and our joy matter.

Celebrating International Childfree Day in Boston 8/1/25

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How I Started Throwing My Own Kind of Parties

I decided years ago that I wasn’t going to wait for the world to tell me my life was worth celebrating—I was going to tell myself.

When I launched my first business and opened up a small fitness studio in 2022, I threw myself a Business Baby Shower. Yes, there were decorations. Yes, there were speeches. And yes, I wore a mother to be sash (because of course I did). My friends brought gifts that would help me get started. You know I had an amazon registry. It was a moment I took seriously to celebrate AND one that I was vocal about needing help. Owning a business is no joke and it takes every ounce of your self and most of your finances. I mean, are we seeing the parallels to children? I needed an air filter and cleaning supplies the way parents need a diaper genie and burp cloths

Then, when my dog Noel turned 13, I hosted a Bark Mitzvah. And since my diva girlie needed one more party before her cancer came in hot, I gave her a Hawaiian themes ALOHA BITCHES party. Not only did Noel and I have matching outfits, but my friends were truly in on the bit: leis, tropical prints and even ate caesar salad and chicken fingers like at real human bar mitzvah.

We celebrated the joy she brought to my life because she was my family. Scrath that: she was my whole world. She lived a whole year with cancer and on three legs, like a warrior and milestones like hers mattered to me just as much as any human birthday.

These weren’t just parties. They were declarations: My life counts. My joy counts.

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Reclaiming Back-to-School Season

Back-to-school isn’t just for parents and kids. We exist on this planet, too Right???

If you’re anything like me—raised in New England on an agrarian calendar where September feels like the true start of the year—you know the fall carries its own kind of electricity. The air shifts. The leaves hint at change. Something inside you says, lets get serious.

For so long, that mentality has been marketed by our ancestors to pick the crops, hunker down and now it takes flight as backpacks, lunchboxes, and first-day-of-school photos. But what if, instead of letting the wave pass us by, we reclaimed this season for ourselves?

Fall can be our time to sharpen our pencils or sharpen our mindset. Crack open a new notebook or open a new chapter in our lives. Decide what we want to learn, grow, or accomplish in the months ahead, without needing a school schedule or kids to validate it.

Here are a few ways you can make September YOUR season of celebration:

• Throw a “Back to Me” Party. Celebrate the goals you’ve set for the rest of the year with champagne, confetti, or just your favorite playlist on full blast.

• Host a dinner with friends. Share what you’re learning in your careers, hobbies, or personal growth journeys. Spark inspiration instead of small talk.

• Buy yourself a symbol of your next chapter. A bold blazer for that promotion. A suitcase for your next solo adventure. A framed vision board for your wall.

• Take your own First Day photo. Not for anyone else, but for you. Pose with a chalkboard sign. Or ditch tradition and snap it in a bikini, just because you can.

  
  

The truth is: you don’t need a classroom, a desk, or a kid in a backpack to mark new beginnings. You can choose to make this season your own fresh star, and celebrate it out loud!

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The Ripple Effect of Celebrating Your Own Terms

Every time you celebrate your life in a way that’s authentic to you, you give someone else permission to do the same. You make it normal for joy to exist outside of children’s milestones or marriage anniversaries. You remind people—especially other single, childfree women—that their lives aren’t “in waiting” for something bigger.

Because here’s the truth: the milestones we choose to honor shape the way we see our own worth.

So whether it’s August 1st, the first day of school, or a random Tuesday in March—celebrate. Loudly. Boldly. and with lots of PRIDE.

Your life matters.

Your Turn:What’s a milestone you’ve celebrated that had nothing to do with kids or marriage? Or what’s one you wish you had? Tell me in the comments—I want to cheer you on.