Back to School: Tips for Making Busy Schedules Less Stressful

If you are a parent then you know how stressful back to school can be! Everyone is out of a routine from being on summer vacation and all the activities start back up! One kid has soccer practice, another's at gymnastics, now we both have to go to piano lessons, oh and mom has a PTA meeting, and don’t forget to feed the kids! It seems like there is always somewhere to be or something needing to be done from the time I get up until I lay down on my pillow at night! Over the years I have tested out many different strategies for helping keep my family more organized and taking away some of the stress from everyone!

Google Calendar-

My number one tip is to create a google calendar, this can be shared with mom, dad, grandma, the babysitter, or even kids that are old enough to have a phone! Using a Google Calendar lets everyone see what is going on no matter where they are! It is easy to use and add in new events to! You can even add a color code to each event so that you can easily see who needs to be there! It is easily accessible, easy to use, and easily shared with the entire family!

Meal Planning-

If you take anything from this post let it be this! PLAN YOUR MEALS!! I like to go grocery shopping on Sunday’s so I have fresh groceries for the week! Before I go grocery shopping I sit down with my family and we discuss what meals we are going to cook on each night! I have a meal calendar that I write the schedule on and stick on the outside of the fridge! This helps me remember what I planned to cook, keeps the kids from asking what’s for dinner, and helps me plan my grocery list! I like to plan my meals around the other events we have going on throughout the week. I plan quicker, easier meals for the nights we are busy, and save the more difficult meals for nights when we have less going on!

Fridge Calendar-

Just like the meal planner, I have a magnetic calendar that I write out our activities on! There are options available for the entire month or just one week at a time! I have used both and prefer the weekly version! This allows everyone to see exactly what we have going on each night that week!

Planner-

I would not survive without my planner! My planner comes with me pretty much all of the time! I use different colored pens for each person to easily know who is doing what! I also use my planner for work meetings, upcoming events, and so much more! There are so many different styles of planners on the market so just pick the one that best meets your needs! You can also grab planners for older kiddos to help them organize their homework, projects, practices, and more!

Prepare the Night Before-

This is another huge tip- get as much ready for the next day as possible! Prepare those lunches, layout their outfits, and make sure you know where the backpacks are! Taking ten or so minutes at night before I go to bed to prepare a few things for the next day makes getting out the door so much easier in the mornings! A huge lifesaver for me personally has been my programmable coffee maker, because I can start my morning right by waking up to a fresh cup of coffee!

Set Reminders-

Setting reminders is another really great tool you can use to remember everything that needs to get done and where everyone needs to be! You can use the reminder app on your phone, sticky notes, or using a device like Google Home or Alexa!