Have your kids started school yet? My oldest started school this week. She is a 4th grader while my youngest will be homeschooled for pre-k, so I have been working on their back to school routines for the last two weeks. So during this first week of school I have been fine tuning all of our routines.
Today's post is all about tips for moms during this hectic back to school time!
7 Tips for Moms During Back to School week
1. Plan dinner ahead.
During the first week of school, the last thing you will want to do is
figure out what to make for dinner. Have a plan for what you will make
each night, groceries in the fridge and even make a few meals ahead if
you can! I usually plan mostly slow cooker meals for the first week of school. I usually make Mississippi chicken, spaghetti and meatballs, potato soup, and lasanga.
2. Have after school snacks ready to go.
After a summer of eating when they wanted, they will likely be grumpy,
tired and famished from being in school all day with limited meal times.
Have a few after school snacks on hand, ready to go. I usally keep peanut butter and crackers on hand, as well as packages of gold fish crackers, and fruit. I also make mini corn dogs and and pizza rolls.
3. Get school supplies before the first day of school.
Usually my daughter's school posts the school supply list in early June, so usually start early. Get the basics like subject notebooks, organizers/planners, binders,
folders, pens and pencils before school starts. Better yet, order on
Amazon or even Walmart. This is what we did. So much easier and no lines!
4. Keep commitments light.
As parents, we will be feeling overwhelmed too. If you’re like me,
you want to jump back into things and schedule meetings, lunches and
happy hours to reconnect with people. But for the first few weeks, try
to keep your schedule free and flexible.
This year, instead of jumping back in, I will be scheduling only
self-care appointments like workouts. I will spend the rest of my time
getting caught up with my administrative tasks related to life and
school. Documenting my goals clearly and planning my schedule of how I
want to time block this school year’s hours to reach those goals will be
my priority.
5. Set your alarm for 30 minutes earlier for the first few days of school.
When we are anxious, so are our kids. The extra time we have in the
morning to help our kids get ready and out the door will help us succeed
in starting the day on a positive note. Any last minute forms the kids
forgot to give us, or other hiccups will be easier to deal with when we
aren’t in a rush.
6. Cut the kids some slack.
This one is hard for me. When my kids let out their stress out on me,
my feelings get hurt. I’m trying to work on this, but I do find myself
getting angry when they speak to me with disrespect or act rude for no
reason.
On week one, I will try harder to cut my kids slack when they are
cranky. There are so many pressures and stresses at their young ages. I
think I’ll make myself a mantra to say in my head when they are letting
their frustrations out on me.
7. The new school routine is not just for the kids.
What have you not had time for during summer? Take time to think about
what is important to you and write down your goals. Then make a plan for
how you will reach them! As I mentioned above, I plan to take the first
week of school to focus on this. One thing I know I have derailed on is
staying fit over summer. I will plan physical activity into my routine
to improve my physical fitness as well as to keep me sane!
What do you think about these tips for moms during back to school week? Have a great start to the school year!
