Essential Back-to-School Tips for Moms: Keeping Your Sanity Intact
Well, super-parents, it’s that time of year again. The time of year when you realize the summer has slipped by, and that list of things you put off and placed on the back burner – like school supplies and soccer cleats, are now needed asap.
The leaves are barely turning, but the scent of panic and pencil shavings is already in the air. Yes, it’s back-to-school season, and if you’re a mom like me, that means it’s time to switch from summer survival mode to, well, school survival mode.
Whether you have already entered the back-to-school madness or are just about to open that door, here are my essential tips for getting through (most of it) with a smile and a little bit more sanity.
Chapter 1: The Night Before - Organized Chaos
Let’s set the scene: It’s the night before the first day of school, and your living room looks like a small, well-loved office supply store exploded. There are backpacks everywhere, and you're pretty sure the kitchen scissors are in there somewhere. Side note: This also could be the entire first week or month of school – at least in my house, it is. 😘
Shop the Storefront.
You've read all the blogs that tell you to have your kids pack their bags the night before—and you do every year! But somehow, by morning, everything has mysteriously escaped again, possibly to join a child’s underground network of lost school supplies.
Okay, so that’s the scene, here’s what to do:
Don’t just pack the backpack. Also, put it by the door.
Both of these Carhartt Backpacks are the best!
Pack their water bottle as well.
We love these Stanley 30oz Cups for school days. Keeps those little buggers hydrated with H20 that stays cold.
Check the weather.
Choose an outfit and set it out.
Chapter 2: The Morning Of - Where Did Time Go?
Ah, the morning. It starts at a bright and early “I can’t believe I’m awake at this hour” o'clock. Breakfast? A gourmet choice between cereal and, well, cereal. You've tried those Instagram-worthy, nutritious breakfasts, but who has the time when one child can’t find their shoe, and the other has decided to write a novella instead of brushing their teeth?
But there are a few things you can do to make the mad dash more manageable:
Ready to run food options: I’m all about doing what’s easy, but I also worry about nutrition and our overall health. That’s why I regularly have a few of these items on hand for an easy protein-packed breakfast option:
Oatmeal packets: We like these Quaker Gluten Free Single Serving Oatmeal Packets.
Frozen Turkey sausage patties: We like these
Yogurt tubes: We like these
Pre-cut fruit
Frozen breakfast burrito
And let’s talk about the school run. There should be an Olympic event for the sprint from the car to the school gates while carrying three bags, two water bottles, a forgotten PE kit, and, occasionally, a child. No, really, it’s lucky that you remember all the kids.
Regardless, here are a few tips for remembering the kits and keeping your wits:
Check-in and run through the list of “need to have” items while you’re still in the driveway
Talk about the schedule of the day as you drive
Check the backseat before your kiddos hit the school doors
Chapter 3: The After School Chaos
Best After School Snack Bars
Just when you’ve had a moment to sip (reheat) your morning coffee and pretend you're in control, the afternoon pickup rolls around. Here we go again: snacks, homework, dinner, bath, and bedtime. It’s like Groundhog Day but with more crayons and the occasional glitter accident.
Whether you’re picking your kids up right after school or after your workday, here are a few ways we survive!
Check the sports schedule before you drive to pick up your kids. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve forgotten a practice or activity that takes place right after school, only to have to run home, making us all frazzled and late.
Bring a snack with you. My kids are always starving when they get into the car. I like to have a bar or a beef stick with me for a pinch:
Chapter 4: The Parent-Teacher Meet – “It’s All Great!”
Let’s not forget the parent-teacher meetings where you nod like you understand exactly what the teacher is saying about phonics, Common Core, and your child’s abstract art that’s supposed to be a map of the neighborhood. Despite the information overload, here are a few ways I work to set myself and my child up for success at the start of the year:
Make sure you go to orientation or the open house. Summer schedules get busy, but bypassing the start-of-school events leaves your child and their teacher at a disadvantage when the year starts.
Ask a few key questions:
Ask about grading standards and deal breakers.
Find out what the most important project or subject your child will work on this year will be.
Ask how you can support your child best throughout the year.
Also, ask how you can provide support in the classroom. Regardless of your schedule, there’s usually something you can do.
Find out if there’s a classroom app, and sign up.
Chapter 5: Set a Routine that Works
Aside from the school and teacher-related clarifications, it’s just as important to set up a routine for yourself and your kiddos as soon as the school year starts that’s manageable for you and your family. Flying by the seat of your pants might be your style, but doing that when you have seven different practice times, different school schedules, work, and other commitments just isn’t doable. Here are a few tips for creating a manageable schedule:
Double Up: I double up on tasks in any way that I can. That means I bring my computer to the pick-up line and answer emails while I’m waiting for school to let out. I schedule internal calls for times when I’m driving from school to practice, etc.
Prioritize Tasks: I had to learn the hard way that cleaning the house while my kids are at school isn’t as important as working when they are not with me. If you have a desk job, this is a little easier, but if you work remotely, save any tasks that can be done when the kids are out of school for, well, when they’re out of school.
Find a Ride Buddy: Your life will be so much easier if you can set up swap days for school drop-off, pick-up, and extracurricular activities.
You’ve Got This!
So, my fellow moms, as we brace ourselves for another school year, let’s wear those mystery stains on our shirts like medals and wield our coffee cups like swords. We might not get everything right, but hey, our kids will at least get to school mostly on time and partially clean. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Here’s to surviving another year of back-to-school madness. May your coffee be strong, your patience stronger, and may you occasionally find your car keys where you last left them.
