Ready or Not, Term Time Is Coming!
However hard you try to deny it, the truth is you can almost hear the school bell in the distance. Even whilst you're out in the paddling pool making the most of the latest heatwave, the to-do list is starting to nag louder and louder. Whether its your uniform sizes that need checking, lunch boxes that need locating or one of the countless other logistical nightmares, its easy to feel the pressure build.
The good news is that, just a little planning can really help soften the landing. And I'm not talking about the obvious things, like new pencils or p.e. kit. I'm talking about caring for your energy, keeping the holiday feeling for as long as you can and easing everyone into the new routine. All of the things that we are all too prone to forget or deprioritise when life gets busy again. So here a X tips to help you easily prepare for the chaos and silence that nagging voice so you can enjoy the last few weeks of the holidays worry free.
Make Mornings Smoother
If there’s one thing that can tip a school day into chaos, it’s the first couple of hours. I’ve found that spending five minutes in the evening makes the morning feel ten times easier. Knowing where there's a matching pair of socks, getting lunches ready and making sure uniforms are clean and, erm scent free can shave oodles of stress from the morning routine. Even better if you can habit stack it into your kids bedtime routine so you don't have to worrry about it all!
Reduce Decision Fatigue
By the time school pick-up rolls around, my brain is generally shattered. The morning routine, work and all of the other things we have to think about, followed by half an hour of school pick up smack in the middle of the afternoon slump make engaging your brain to work whats for dinner can be really, really hard. If I don't have a plan before I go, the chances of us ending up with a takeaway are so much higher!
So now I spend Sunday mornings working out a meal plan for the week. I force (I mean literally sometimes) the others to get involved as well, because whats family for if its not to share out the pain a little 😂 . We all have very different likes getting everyone involved is the best way I've found to help with the "I don't like this, why don't you ever make what I want" moans, because they know that the next day its their favourite instead.
On weekdays we tend to stick with easy meals and will often keep them on repeat every week until we get bored or the weather changes. The other rule in our house is a clean kitchen before bed because I hate cooking when its messsy; and if its my husbands turn to cook, we'll be eating at midnight if he has to wash up first!
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Tame the Paper Trail The endless stream of school admin (which for us started even before the end of last term) can be overwhelming at times. Permission slips, newsletters, random projects, you name, there seem to be more every week. Now my son's older it's all done online which has its own challenges, but when he was younger it was much worse. I still have nightmares about amount of last minute rushes to sort out letters that never made it out of his classroom drawer, let alone out his school bag!
So now, once a week (I usually do it on Sunday evenings), I sit down and get it all sorted for the week. It’s not glamorous so I often sweeten the deal with a glass of wine or a sugary treat, but it means future-me isn’t panicking over lost forms, missed meetings. Prepare Your Outdoor GearOne of the best ways to keep the holiday mood going is to make it ridiculously easy to say yes to a quick burst of fresh air. We keep trainers, waterproofs, and wellies right by the door. That way, when someone says, “Can we go to the park?” I don’t have to think. We just go. It keeps that summer freedom alive, even when the evenings start to shorten and the weather gets worse. |
Make Space for Transitions
The shift from school to home can be rocky. Kids can hold it together all day, only to unravel the minute they step through the door and whereas its generally means they feel safe at home, that doesn't make easier to cope with. I’ve found that building a small 'hometime routine' helps everyone change gear more smoothly. We take half an hour of quiet, sometimes we read, others we go for a short stroll, and often we just chat. Its 30 minutes peace out of the routine that signals the day is moving from one section to the next.
Support the Emotional Side
It isn’t only the children who feel wobbly in September. New classes, new teachers, packed lunches, there’s plenty to stir up parents nerves as well. Talking about it with other parents often makes it easier. Whereas the 'hometown routine' is my child's chance to decompress, for me its a biweekly coffee straight after the morning run with a couple of other parents.
Create Your Backup Plan
Even with the best intentions, there will be days when everything falls apart. Rain ruins plans, someone’s tired and tetchy, and the spelling words just won’t stick in their brains. Give yourself a break, and acknowledge that this is the exception not the norm. Its ok to have the odd bad. And having a ready-made fallback plan can make all the difference between the day ending up feeling like a failure or somethig special. Grabbing one of our adventure cards and having a quick outdoor game can turn around everyone's mood in minutes.
Protect Your Own Energy
And don’t forget yourself in all this. It’s so easy to focus on everyone else that you end up running on empty before you know it. Slotting in one tiny thing that’s just for you can make all of the difference. Its true that a calmer parent a calmer household and thats good for everyone.
You've Got ThisThe first week back doesn’t need to feel like a tidal wave. With a handful of small habits you can hold on to the best of summer while sliding into September with less stress. It’s not about perfection, it’s about making life a little easier and more enjoyable for everyone.
And if you’d like an easy shortcut, the Fantabulous Back to School Adventure Bundle is here to help. It gives you five packs of ready-to-go outdoor adventures, including a special Back to School pack, all for the price of three. No subscription, no auto-renewal, just one simple choice now that will set you up with a backup plan that will last until Christmas.
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