A back to school routine makes mornings and nights less stressful for both parents and kids. Here are some simple ideas you should consider when you create yours.
Vacation is over and it’s back-to-school time which, for most parents, means chaotic mornings, rushing your kids from school to activities and helping with homework. If you’re lucky, you occasionally squeeze in a healthy meal sitting down together at the dinner table.
Here are some simple ways to create an awesome school routine that reduces the stress level for both you and your children.
Creating A Back To School Routine
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Implement A Sleep Schedule
Start your school routine by creating a sleep schedule for your kids. Don’t wait until back-to-school time rolls around to do it. Begin this process a few weeks before school actually starts.
Enforce a bed time and wake your kids early in the morning. This will help them get back into the rhythm and they will be well rested during class instead of being tired and cranky.
Prep At Night
When morning arrives, you want your kids fed, dressed and out the door as fast as possible. Prep as much as you can the night before.
Let your kids select the outfits they would like to wear the next day, if they wear their own clothes or lay out uniforms. Ensure whatever clothes they will be wearing are clean, ironed and make any repairs necessary e.g. attach missing buttons.
Pack lunches and make ahead breakfasts so all you need to do is grab and go the next day.
After homework is done, place in it your kids’ backpacks so they don’t forget it.
Whatever you can think of to make your life easier the next day, get it done at night.
Dedicated Drop Zone
Have a specific place in your house for all of your kids’ school gear. Knowing where to put backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, school notices and homework help to alleviate misplacing items and having to search for them later on. It also helps to keep your house looking clean and tidy.
Your organization system does not need to complicated. A few bins, hooks and folders close to the main entrance of your home is enough to get the job done.
The tips in Build The Perfect Command Centre- How To Organize Your Family can guide you to create a simple and inexpensive command centre that suits your needs.
Put Stuff Away Immediately
As soon as your kids come home from school, empty their lunch boxes and remove homework and school notices from their bags. This is a great way to avoid finding rancid leftovers the next day or forgotten homework.
Complete any forms that need your attention and store them in their rightful home. Discard papers your kids no longer need to prevent paper clutter from building up. If your child is a bit of an artist, here are some great tips for the best ways to organize and store your kid’s art projects.
Create A Schedule
Back-to-school is a busy time for everyone. Have a large calendar
Meal Plan
Use your calendar to determine when your busiest days will be. Over the weekend, meal plan for the upcoming week. Freezer meals or quick and easy recipes are great options for those evenings when you will be getting home late.
Cook large quantities of food so you can enjoy the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. Incorporate single ingredients into multiple meals. For example, grilled chicken can be added to wraps, eaten with rice or placed on salads.
Meal planning can be a life saver. During back-to-school time, when your kids come home starving, you can avoid the stress of what to cook for dinner. Having a plan in place makes dinnertime run much more smoothly.
A good school routine is essential to make your days less stressful. Follow these practical suggestions to create one of your own.
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