It’s AUGUST 1st! What in the actual heck?! I don’t know about you, but this summer absolutely flew by this year.
If you didn’t know, my family bought a home moved over the summer. We’re still living in our wonderful little town, only about 15 minutes from our old house. It wasn’t a big move, but if you’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing the moving process, then you know that it’s not exactly calm or relaxing. There are so many little things to remember on top of all of the big ones. My days started running together as my brain worked overtime not to drop anything important 🥴
Our move took over a big chunk of our summer and now that we’re here and (mostly) settled, I’m turning my focus towards the impending start of the school year. Again, how are we already here?!
I know a lot of moms are preparing for school right along with me. Doing the juggling act that comes with fun summer coming to a close and shifting back into the routine that accompanies school mode. Stress can also crop up with the transition, so I wanted to share with you a few of the things I’m doing to make re-entering the school year a little easier.
Shop for Supplies Early
You may already have this crossed off your list, but if it isn’t yet STOP PROCRASTINATING. It’s a big undertaking going to multiple stores with separate lists and roaming through each aisle looking for the “right” crayons, scissors and specified colored stock paper, but once you’re done you’ll have a huge #2 pencil-shaped-weight off of your back.
I highly recommend ordering everything you can from one-stop-shop, like Walmart or Amazon, and only venturing out in person for the couple of items you might need to pick out yourself. Trust me. Your sanity will thank you.
Start Readjusting Their Sleep Schedule
This week I started getting the boys back to bed a smidge earlier than what I’ve let fly over the summer. We weren’t YOLOing it up till midnight the last two months, but bedtime tends to creep when the alarm clock doesn’t need to be set. I’m going slowing, adjusting about 15 minutes earlier every couple of nights until we hit their normal school bedtime, which is about 8pm for us.
Think about Lunches and Snacks
I tend to be pretty mindful of what the boys eat. They are both gluten and dairy free and Adam and I try to watch their sugar intake, but just as summer tends towards longer nights, it too lends itself towards more treats. Between a few extra goodies at home and spending more time with grandparents, these kids of mine definitely enjoyed their summer snacks.
Going back to school means taking lunches and having healthier snacks on hand when they get home. We’re loading up on fruits, veggies, peanut butter, nuts, meat sticks, guacamole and hummus for more nutritious options before hitting homework.
Make Preparations for Dinners
We eat at home a lot and honestly I’ll likely have a little more time to prep dinner with the boys not here all day, but even with the time to make more intricate dishes, I want easy dinners. I very vividly recall working away from home and the mad rush to get dinner going after getting off of work and picking them up from daycare. It’s a lot after a full day at work and knowing you still have the whole homework and bedtime dance to go afterwards.
However the dinner process can be simplified, do it. Prep food ahead of time. Cook bigger meals so you have leftovers to rely on. I ❤️ my slow cooker and my pressure cooker for set-it-and-forget-it or lightning fast meals. And let me sing the praises of sheet pan veggies! Where have they been my whole life? However it is that you can take a little off of your plate (pun intended), do it. This includes finding yummy and simple recipes to use (ahem ⤵️).
I’ve been on a bit of a tear in my kitchen lately and threw this Gluten and Soy Free Asian Inspired Bowl together one night. The family went wild! It only takes about 15 minutes to whip up and trust me when I tell you it’s as good as anything you’d find at a restaurant. Click here for the recipe and if you make it, please be sure to share what you think!
And if a meal planner or grocery list would help keep you organized through the week, so there’s no last minute guessing on what to cook or if you even have the right ingredients for the meal you planned to make (been there, done that, had to pivot) download these printouts and take a little more off your mind.
Good luck Mom on your back to school adventures! May the year ahead be great for your littles and easy on you!
If there’s anything else you can think of that would help the rest of your year go smoothly, comment below! I love hearing from you about what it is that you need and want to see more of.
