Back to School- How to Be Ready and Organized

How to Become a “Back-to-School” Master Mom

As the summer has been winding down, some of our kids have already gone back to school (yikes!) and others still have a few weeks left. Regardless of when your kids go back to school, there is a lot to get done, and the time always seems to sneak up on us before we know it. I absolutely love summer and having my kids home, so getting back into a routine is difficult for me, as I tend to be in denial a bit. So, how can we help give our kids (and ourselves) the nudge we both need?

Get your child’s sleep schedule back on track. One of the nice things about summer is that I don’t feel the nagging rush to get my kids to bed by a specific hour each night. While they still go to bed at a reasonable time, they are not school-ready yet. Therefore, a couple of weeks before school, I start putting them to be a little earlier each night, then waking them up that much earlier the next morning. That way, they don’t have the shock of being sent to bed a whole hour earlier the night before school starts (not a great way to start the year).

Buy the most necessary supplies now. Shopping online is such a blessing. If your child has a specific list of school supplies she must deliver to school, you can go online and get most of it without leaving your house, which is such a time saver. If there are some personal things your kids want (a certain color pencil case, etc.), shop before the rush. One year, I made the mistake of going a few days before school, and the stores were so picked through that it was difficult to easily find what we needed. Also remember that when it comes to clothes shopping, if your child doesn’t wear a uniform, it isn’t necessary to buy every item of clothing they need from now until December. Back to school shopping gets expensive, and it helps to be able to spread the costs out a little.

Enjoy the time! I try and make a short list (a summer bucket list, of sorts) of the last 2 or 3 things we want to do before the end of summer. If there is a water park your kids REALLY wanted to go to, or some other adventure you haven’t gotten to yet, go for it! Remember that once school starts, life will get crazy busy again, and you won’t have as much time to do these fun activities.
 
 
Meet The Bella Behind the Blog: Kristen Farley is a mother of three and a domestic goddess. She is a former teacher who enjoys spending lots of time with her kids, healthy eating, volunteering at school, and mommy blogging for the masses.

Be on the lookout for more of Kristen’s expert advice and brilliant tips!