It’s almost back to school season and for some of us parents, we know how exhausting it can be to get back into the school time daily routine again after a summer full of fun and family time.
I’ve put a short list together of what has helped me personally to get my kids motivated and ‘back in the saddle’ when that fall school bell rings it weary toll.
For most children and even parents, the hardest part is just getting out of bed every morning! Most of us are NOT morning people!
Here is my first tip that I feel is the MOST important to start with:
Retrain your brains and your bodies
Train your children AND yourself for an earlier bedtime and morning wake-up time a good two weeks before school starts. This will help to reset your body clocks for starters but will also help with the argument of “why do we need to go to bed NOW mom?” Make it a routine, and stick with it. If it helps to start twenty minutes earlier every night until you’re at the normal school night bedtime, that’s great, for some families it means setting the time the same as it would be as if you were going to school.
Studies have shown that screen time before bedtime can inhibit your ability to fall asleep in a reasonable time. I’ll leave that to your parenting instincts. If your kid is suffering from insomnia, pay attention to their bedtime habits; device time may be more of a hindrance than a help. But hey, no judgment from this mama. This is one of our biggest battles in our home-front.
Back-to-school shopping means family fun time
One of the ways we make going back to school fun for our kids is involving them in the back-to-school shopping. Whether you shop online or price match at your local stores, take your kids along and let them be part of the selection process when you can.
Create a homework station
Dedicate a space in your home specifically for homework and school projects. Have everything your kids will need to finish their tasks such as; pencils, pens, rulers, markers, glue sticks, calculator etc. This will hopefully cut down on the “MOM where’s a pencillllll! I can’t do my homework nowwww!” Not that I’ve ever had that shouting match before. *cough*
Chill out
Ever heard the saying “If mama ain’t happy ain’t NOBODY happy”? Well, there’s a reason for this. When I am stressed to the max it affects the way I react to everything. I constantly have to remind myself to B.R.E.A.T.H.E! You can’t teach your kids how to handle stress and anxiety if you are obviously not handling it yourself. I need that reminder more than most of you reading this believe me! If my kids sense my anxiety or stress then they too become anxious and stressed out. Even if I am stressed I try my hardest to put on a good show in front of my kids by slapping on a happy face and making my kids laugh as much as possible. Before I know it the show becomes a reality and I really DO feel better! Funny how that works huh? I am trying to ease my kids into back to school by talking about it and encouraging healthy, positive discussions and addressing their concerns head on.
One of the things I’ve been trying recently is maintaining a healthier lifestyle by eating less junk and healthier foods as well as getting more exercise. Remember that in order to take care of our families, we need to first take care of ourselves. Like the oxygen mask on an airline flight, first place your mask on, then your child’s.
Enjoy your back to school moments and remember to breathe!
This post originally appeared on Why Not Mom. It has been reprinted with permission.
Tonia L. Clark is an introvert and a social media butterfly. She’s a geeky, girlie tomboy, who craves chocolate and world peace. The mother of one girl and two boys and married to a long haul truck driver. She’s a little bit country and a lot of rock and roll. Tonia’s fantasy involves a posh hotel room with a Jacuzzi all to herself in complete solitude for 48 hours straight…peace and tranquility. Tonia is the founder and creator of Whynotmom.com which is soon to be the largest online shopping directory of work at home mom businesses! You can find Whynotmom.com on Facebook and on Twitter.
