Going back to school is such a mix of emotions, especially this year. Trying to get your kids ready for school without having just come off a year and a half pandemic is hard enough, but now, there is so much more to this….
On one hand, the kids get to go back to school and get the socialization they missed so much. There will finally be a routine (if you are the kind of person who likes that!) and the kids are OUT OF THE HOUSE!! 👋 Don’t worry, I know you love them and will miss them, but if you are at home at all while they are at school, the quiet time can be nice!
On the other hand, there is so much unknown: school supplies, masks, etc., as well as trying to coordinate different schedules for everyone in the house. How do you get everyone fed or even out the door? So, how do we go back to the hustle and bustle we (well, most of us, anyway) tragically missed in 2020?
PRACTICE
First, start practicing your new routine before the first day of school. This way, everyone is used to getting up, fighting for the bathroom, etc. Use the 2 weeks (or more if you can!) before school to work out the kinks in your morning routine. If you find that it is a struggle to get anyone in the house motivated to get up early, pair something fun with getting up early. Can they make breakfast or have ice cream for breakfast? Get rewards/prizes after so many easrly wake ups? Have a little extra screen time in the AM? Ok – it’s weird I am suggesting more screen time, but I think I made my point that if you don’t like doing something, you can pair it with something you like doing to help you feel at least a little motivated.
REMINDERS
I am fairly certain post-its were created for me….I need reminder after reminder. I use Alexa (Amazon Echo or Google Home, etc.) to help remind my son to brush his teeth, put on his shoes, etc. I set alarms on my phone 10 minutes before we head out the door, too! Also, you can use these dry erase sticky notes to put reminders on the mirror or build a visual routine or checklist to help them along.Â
PLAN PACKED LUNCHES
I’m not sure if anyone else feels the same way about packing lunches, but I HATE it! Probably because if you look on Pinterest, it’s blatantly clear that I am failing at motherhood since my kids’ lunches look nothing like the adorable little bento box pictures. Just me? Anyway, have your kids make a list of the things they will want for lunch and then set up a system where they can pack their own lunches (or most of it anyway)! That’s right – set up boxes/bins/etc. and they can pick one from each bin, plop it in their lunchbox and then you can put their sandwich in and WAH-LAH! LUNCH IS PACKED! 🙌
CREATE AN AFTER SCHOOL ROUTINE
If you don’t already have a screen time and homework schedule worked out – figure that out now. Screen time was increased during the pandemic and over the summer, so setting some guidelines about when screen time is allowed will most likely be necessary (especially if you want to avoid fighting about it every night). If you can include them in the conversation, it may help, however, you do what you gotta do, mama 😉 Another option is changing the Wi-Fi password or turning the internet off until a certain time so you can ensure they aren’t distracted by their devices. (Maybe even have them set the table for dinner before you hand over the new password 😎)
MEAL PLAN!
Girl, with sports, after-school activities, etc…you are going to be EXHAUSTED! So plan some easy meals and leftovers as well as make some freezer meals now so you don’t have to prep much the first month! I meal prep on Sundays for most of the week. Check out my Kitchen Game Changers for Busy Moms.
SELF-CARE/YOU TIME
Whether it is when the kids go to bed OR before they wake up, plan to spend time journaling, planning your day, and doing whatever makes you calm and reduces any stress. During that time, plan for potential stressors and think about how to best handle them. Even take a little time before school starts to think about what may stress you out and ways you may be able to change your routine/environment/thoughts to reduce your stress. Also, I have a FREE quick-guide to lowering your stress and overwhelm, so check that out before school starts.
I know this sounds totally cliché, but make sure you take care of you. Self-care is important so plan self-care regularly. I have 50 different ideas for self-care and also some suggestions how to easily incorporate into your life.
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