As many kids and families head back to school, often routines feel overwhelming. It can be hard to transition from the fun of summer, sleeping in, and having free time, to getting up earlier and being ready for school and sports. There are lots of ways to make the transition easier for you and your children, and it really starts with creating a peaceful routine that everyone benefits from. Here are our best tips for making a schedule and putting morning/evening routines into practice:
- Begin by bumping back bedtime before school starts. For many, school has already started, but if you are able, it’s good to make bedtime gradually earlier so kids can adjust to the times they are sleeping. It can help to use a nighttime sound machine or select podcasts that are calming to help everyone wind down. You can use an Alexa or Google speaker to play in everyone’s individual rooms. For teens, remember that they often need more sleep than you may realize.
- Make a command center: A centralized place for paperwork, documents, mail, and homework can make your life simpler and easier to manage. We suggest a centralized desk or entry hub where you can put a large family calendar, and some file folders that can be accessed and sorted by everyone in the family. It is great if you can also appoint a place for coats, backpacks, and lunchbags, so that everyone can stay organized and not be scrambling each morning.
- Set a time to get ready for the next morning. It is often helpful to set a time (like 7pm), when everyone in the family lays out their outfits and items for the next day. Stuff like school projects to turn in, sports equipment, and uniforms can easily become overwhelming when everyone is rushing around in the morning. Plus, if you discover something needs to be washed, you’ll have time to wash it if you find out the night before. For adults, it is even helpful to pack lunches, get out work clothes, and charge phones/laptops during that time, too.
- Meal plan: Meals tend to be the thing that frustrate many parents when school starts, because there seems to be limited time to prep or cook as homework or errands loom. Many sports are also in the afternoon, so it limits time to prepare. We recommend doing crock pot meals (or using a meal service like Hello Fresh or Home Chef if you can afford it) to help ease into the first few weeks of school. This gets everyone into the routine without over-extending you! Try carnitas in the crock pot (we love this recipe) for something everyone will love.
Mostly, give everyone a little grace. Starting back to school is hard, because it’s such a shift in timelines and schedules, so remember to extend yourself compassion as you figure it out!
