Back To School

Kids are back in school! Making sure the day runs smoothly from wake up to lights out is crucial. Here are some tips to get kids into a routine for back to school:

• Use a large calendar: A calendar will help keep you and the kids organized, make it a point to have the kids look at it with you to see what is planned for the day. It could be a sporting event/practice, a doctor’s appointment, a church activity or a special homework/project assignment that needs to be worked on. This way everyone will be on the same page from the beginning of the day to the end.
• Make a morning schedule: Put a time and what activity needs to be done. For 7 am wake up and make bed, for 7:15 eat breakfast, for 7:30 get dressed and so on. Hang this schedule up at a main point in your house and on kids bedroom doors, that way they always know what needs to be done and by when.
• Meal plan: Planning meals can be helpful when you have to feed yourself, your spouse and multiple kids. Make breakfast and lunch meals the night before or the week before and freeze. To make dinner simple and easy, freeze different things like sauces and crockpot meals. Follow the links below for breakfast, lunch and dinner meal planning ideas and helpful hints:
  • Breakfast Planning: https://www.smartschoolhouse.com/easy-recipe/back-to-school-breakfast-recipes#_a5y_p=5568959
  • Lunch Planning: https://www.modernhoney.com/back-to-school-kids-lunch-ideas/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes
  • Dinner Planning: https://www.ourhomemadeeasy.com/easy-week-night-dinners/
• Plan Ahead: Not only can you plan ahead for meals but many other things can be planned the night before. Here are some things you can have ready for the morning to run smooth:
  • Lay out clothes for the next day
  • Get backpacks ready
  • Look at calendar/schedule
• Create zones: Create zones throughout the home. Make a zone where kids can drop off their backpacks, take off shoes and hang up jackets. Create a zone where they can sit down, have a snack and start their homework. This helps to keep the house clean and let them know what the space is for.
• Establish a bed time: Bed time is important for children, they need enough sleep to function through their busy days. Make a schedule just like the morning schedule, create one for bed with the time and what bedtime activity needs to be done. This will let them know its bed time and time to wind down.

Tips for a back to school routine found on: https://www.vivint.com/resources/article/create-simple-back-to-school-routine