Our kids started back to school this week. I know. It IS crazy early for the first day of school. Two short months of summer is tough, but it helps to remember our kids get a week off every nine weeks during the school year. But I feel like we were just hitting our summer schedule stride and now it’s back to school!
The kickoff of a new school year can be stressful. But as the mama of a senior (yikes!) and an 8th grader, I’ve learned a few things over the years that eases the transition a bit. Here are seven tips for managing the back-to-school grind.
Stay on top of the schedule.
Determine the best calendar system for you and your family, and get all the things on the calendar ASAP. All the practices, games, meets, major school projects and tests, holidays, any work travel, doctor and dental appointments, etc. Discuss who will take whom where for extracurriculars and appointments. I don’t work outside of the home, but write from home and make sure to schedule protected writing time several days a week.
Communication is key.
Talk early and often with everyone about all the things. And do it all together whenever possible to make sure everyone is in the loop. Trust but verify when it comes to important school info your children pass on to you. My kids are old enough now to manage their assignments and school communications, but the first few weeks I help them reestablish habits that went dormant over the summer. During the first week or two, have kids go through their backpack with you at the end of each day to ensure no forms or to-do’s are overlooked. And check digital communications because, thankfully, some of the forms and tasks can be completed online. Heaven knows we could all use a little less paper circulating through our homes!
Schedule even the barest essentials.
To me, this includes laundry, grocery shopping, and cooking. I’ve assigned days of the week for various loads of laundry. Each child has their own day, my husband’s and my laundry is done on yet another day, as well as all the household towels and linens. Sports uniforms and athletic gear get worked in as needed throughout each week. Spreading it out over the week makes it less overwhelming for me. I also have a set day of the week that’s best for my schedule for grocery shopping to ensure we have food for school lunches and all the meals I’ve planned. Because our kids are multi-sport athletes, they have a practice of some sort every afternoon or evening of the week. Scheduling when I will cook dinner each day to accommodate practices helps keep us on time, making sure they’ll have appropriate fuel to consume before or after. Finally, I like to have our kids’ lunches made for the next day by a certain time in the evening so I’m not staying up late throwing something together because I’ve forgotten. I refuse to make lunches the morning of. For us, mornings are hectic enough without adding the stress of packing lunches at the last minute.
Meal plan and prep.
Meal planning is one of the greatest ways to help manage a busy schedule and also budget for groceries. I suggest starting with a review of your schedule for the week. Next, evaluate what’s already in your pantry and freezer. Select your easiest, go-to family favorite recipes, especially the first few weeks of school until you find your groove with the new schedule. When you get home with your groceries, do all that you can to prep ahead for the meals you’ve planned. Wash and chop veggies and fruit for lunches. If you plan to do any slow cooker meals, see what you can do to wash, chop, and prep the ingredients and put them all into a large baggie that you can simply dump and go on the selected day.
Prioritize family.
Carve out some family time to stay connected, even if it’s just a few minutes each day. Check in with your kids to make sure they’re doing okay. Transitioning back to school after the summer can be hard on kids, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Their schedules, workloads, and peers can be draining, especially if you have any introverts. Be their safe place to debrief and process. And be flexible. Sometimes the best conversations happen right before we say goodnight and turn out the lights. Sometimes at that point, I am so ready to be done for the day, but if that’s the time one of our children is ready to share their heart with me, they get my undivided attention no matter how tired I am.
Give extra grace.
Even older kids will be exhausted from the transition back to school. Emotions can run high. Choose to believe the best of everyone and give extra grace when necessary. And remind your kids to extend the same courtesy to their siblings – and you.
Pray.
One of the most important things we can do for our kids as they embark on a new school year is pray. For their hearts and minds. For their health and safety. For their friendships. For discernment and wisdom. For their teachers and administrators. The schools have our kids for the majority of their waking hours. The best thing I can do for my kids during that time apart is lift them up to the One who loves the children He’s entrusted to me more than I do.
Do we do all these things perfectly? Absolutely not. Some days are better than others. But I find if I make plans and do my best to stick to these strategies, our back-to-school crunch is less overwhelming.
Your turn. How do you manage the transition from summer break back to school? What back-to-school strategies have you developed? What do you think you do best? And what can you improve?