Hold on to those summer vibes as long as you can, because back-to-school season is almost here! If the thought of kids returning to school has you feeling just as overwhelmed as it does excited, try our tips for an easier and less stressful transition.
From delegating when you can, to prioritizing your health, it may be just what you need to keep stress and unhealthy habits from creeping in.
1. Family Calendar: Your Ultimate Go to Organizer
Field trips. Dentist appointments. Birthday Parties. If you want this to be the year you feel on-top of things, a family calendar is a must. Whether it’s a digital app that you and your family can access on-the-go or a physical calendar that stays in a central location, like on the fridge, having a clear overview of everyone’s schedule, will help you avoid scheduling conflicts and keep important appointments and tasks top of mind.
2. Prepare Meals in Advance
Ask anyone who meal preps and they’ll tell you it can be a major time and money saver. Whether you’re just planning out your family’s meals for the week and knocking your grocery shopping out in one trip, or batch cooking on weekends and freezing meals for the week ahead, is up to you. And, when schedules start to get hectic, you’ll be glad you did. By having meals ready to go or at least ready to cook, you’ll save money and excessive calories from hitting the fast food drive through line.
3. Establish a Stress-Free Morning Routine
Mornings can set the tone for the entire day, so establishing a stress-free morning routine is important. To help the process, anything that can be done the night before will help avoid last-minute scrambles. Having homework and backpacks ready to go, clothes picked out, lunches packed, and the like can be done ahead of time.
4. Prioritize Your Health
As a busy mom, it’s easy to put your needs on the back-burner. However, to take care of your family effectively, you have to take care of yourself. So whether it’s not rescheduling that yearly physical or making time for yourself is important. Not only that but by getting enough sleep, eating right, exercising, and finding ways to unplug, you’re also setting a great example for your family.
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5. Delegate and Ask for Support
You don’t have to do it all! By encouraging everyone to take ownership of their schoolwork and chores, you can free up your schedule and teach your children valuable life skills. Additionally, seek support from friends and other parents. Whether it’s carpooling, sharing any responsibilities, or organizing playdates, having added help or extra back up in case of an emergency, is another way to lighten your load, give you peace of mind, and even strengthen friendships. Plus, you’ll be helping others in the process.
At the end of the day, back-to-school season is definitely an adjustment from the carefree days of summer. So even when things don’t go exactly as planned, by embracing flexibility and prioritizing your personal health you’ll feel better equipped to handle any surprises along the way.