Chances are you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed already with your kids being back in school (don’t worry, I am too). So, today I wanted to share some Tips for Creating a Stress-Free Back to School Routine to help us all maintain our sanity during this time of year.
I think many of us know the back to school stress.
From creating and maintaining routines to homework and school projects, it can be a bit overwhelming.
But, it truly doesn’t have to be.
There are many ways we can all get a handle on school and all the important things we have to do in our lives.
I’ve compiled some of the best tips for creating a stress-free back to school routine that are simple to follow and are things everyone in your home can get on board with.
Tips For Creating a Stress-Free Back to School Routine
Start by talking with your child and set realistic expectations.
I personally think that the core to any successful routine is to start talking about it and what is expected of everyone involved.
In fact, this past week my husband and I sat down with our son who is now in 3rd grade and talked with him about school. We asked him what his day at school was like and what was expected of us in terms of homework, projects, etc.
We sat outside where we were away from any electronics or distractions, had a light snack and came up with a plan for our routine.
We took a look at a typical week and planned out certain times when we would focus on homework, times when chores and errands would be done and times we’d have down time.
It truly helped create a plan for a new school routine and allowed us to manage our time well.
Write it all down.
Once you’ve had the talk with your children and made a game plan, you’ll want to write it down in a central place for the entire family to see.
I know how hard it is to remember every due date, appointment, event, etc. So, if it isn’t written down, chances are, I’ll forget and so will everyone else.
In our home we have a chalkboard calendar right in our dining room. It’s in an area where we can all can view it and ensure its kept up to date with our current schedules and events.
A simple calendar printed on paper and placed onto the fridge can give the same results.
Expect the unexpected.
One thing I’ve learned since becoming a parent is that things happen without any rhyme or reason and sometimes you just have to embrace it.
When it comes to schedules, we try our best to stick to them by implementing the tips above but when the unexpected happens, things get put off or moved around and I have to remember that it’s entirely okay!
The same goes for school routines. Just keep in mind that while you have a plan and a schedule, things are bound to change and you just have to go with the flow until you can get back on track.
Allow everyone to have a break.
I briefly touched on this above but I think part of ensuring a school routine is as stress-free as possible means you have to allow time for everyone to just chill and honestly forget about the routine even for a little bit.
I’ve watched my son over the years get overwhelmed by school and the constant demands and expectations. While I realize this is part of life, I also want him to enjoy being a kid for as long as possible.
So, while we enforce the school routine, we also allow time to just hang and process everything that is going on. It can be as simple as going on a short family walk or allowing my son to blow off some steam playing some video games.
Once some time has past, we get right back to it.
Ensure healthy habits are being made.
Now, it’s easy to create a plan and try your best to stick to it but that plan will be useless if you or your kids aren’t getting proper sleep and nutrition.
I know that when I am tired, I feel like doing nothing but sleeping and the same goes for when I am hungry (or not eating so great).
That is why we try to eat better as a family and make healthier choices overall.
One way we do that is by drinking DairyPure Milk.
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I found DairyPure at our local Target.
When foods like these become a staple in your home, they can help make everything about your day run more smoothly.
The key takeaways here are communication, organization, balance, and good nutrition. When you combine all of those together, you can succeed with creating a stress-free back to school routine in no time!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. However, that does not influence my personal thoughts and opinions. Those remain 100% my own.