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It’s back to school time here in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  This time of year comes with excitement but it can also come with stress and chaos. Adding a few things here and there to your daily routine can help you stay organized and a little more relaxed. 

First, find a routine that fits your schedule and the rhythm of your household. Every routine will be different and that is okay! Try out different things until you find what works best for you and your family. 

Here are 8 tips that could help your back to school routine be more organized, less stressful and maybe a little more fun!

 

  • Create a morning routine.

Take the few weeks before school starts to get a morning routine down. Start implementing it as soon as possible to get your children adjusted to it before the first day of school. If possible, you do not want to wait until the morning school starts to change up things. Get yourself and your children acclimated beforehand. This also would be a good time to implement a nightly routine and establish a bedtime that fits your child’s needs. 

 

  • Set clothes out the night before. 

Allow your children to pick out their outfits for the day the night before. Lay everything out including outfit, socks, shoes, underwear, etc… You may need to supervise this process for a little while but then it might be something you can pass off to your children to do on their own. Bonus tip! When you do laundry, fold outfits together so they’re all ready to go it the closet. This is a great task to add to their daily chores. When you involve children in the process, they are more likely to get on board. 

 

  • Stock up on school supplies.

This one goes without saying. Get the supplies on the list your schools have sent out and then do some minor bulk shopping. Grab an extra pack of pencils, a few notebooks, or a highlighter or two. The first round of school supplies doesn’t always last the whole year. Get extras while the stores are stocked up and set aside until they’re needed.

 

  • Create or buy a calendar.

Having a family calendar keeps everyone’s important dates in one place. Every member of the family can have a certain color or you can color code by event (ex: red for doctor’s appointments, blue for ball games, etc…) Updating the calendar can be adjusted to your schedule. You could fill every week, fill out a month at a time or fill out the entire school year and update when necessary. Make this calendar fit your family’s needs! If you want to go digital, great apps like Cozi allow you to do this on an app from your phone and multiple calendars such as a work calendar can sync with it.

 

  • Stock up on cleaning supplies.

Back to school time also comes with many germs and illnesses. Preparing ahead of time by buying a few disinfectant wipes, a package of cough drops, and maybe some cold medicine. By being prepared when those inevitable bugs come home you’ll save yourself time and stress.

If you’re looking for great natural products I recommend cleaning supplies from Melaleuca and their wellness products are independently tested and very high quality. You can email me to learn more about how to join. 

 

  • Plan a fun last day of summer!

This could be such a fun family tradition. The Bucks County events calendar is a great place to start. Plan a night out including festivals, bowling and ice cream, art exhibits or plan a night in with a DIY drive-in movie with popcorn and candy. It can be anything to fit your family. It could be the night before school or it could be a few days before. Plan a day that works for your schedule and don’t worry about it being extravagant. Even having a special dinner the night before can be a fun and simple tradition to celebrate the new school year.

 

  • Set aside 1:1 time with each kid

As a mom of 4, I personally know how busy the school season gets and how much one-on-one time with each kid can get sacrificed. When you  have multiple kids it’s easy for them to get lost in the shuffle as you just focus on keeping everyone fed, homework done, your own work and getting everyone to their activities. 

 

Mommy & Daddy Dates

When my kids were little, I did mommy dates. One of my employees who has a blended family does daddy dates so the kids get time with their dad during their custody with the kids. For me, I tried to do a mommy date with each kid each week. My employee’s husband does one per week. Everyone has a different schedule so find what works for you. 

Mommy & daddy dates don’t have to be expensive or take a long time. You can occasionally do longer ones like taking one child out for a meal, ice cream, to the park etc… If you’re crunched on time, do mini-dates. These can be 15-30 minutes so each child gets that one-on-one time. Sometimes I’d take one child out just to go grocery shopping and they might pick out a special treat. My girls loved to just walk around Walmart with me. We didn’t even buy anything. It can also be letting them stay up an extra 15 minutes late to read a book together, do an I-spy book, or play a short game like Go Fish or Connect Four. These years are precious and time flies so incorporate that extra time. 

 

  • BONUS TIP: hire a maid!

You will have a lot to schedule, organize and get ready during this time of year. Let Maid For You help take cleaning your home off your plate. 

 

PS, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Instagram. 

With Love,

Lisa