7 Back to School Tips for Moms

Yes, it’s that time. 

Many families have households facing ‘back to school mode’. 

Whether it’s public, homeschool or private schooling, the shift from summer to school routines makes its way. 

The calendar reflects activities committed to and it seems the endless paper trail for each kiddo is just that…. endless!  

This season offers a breath of fresh air and can also be a stressor. Over the years, I’ve found a few practical tips which help me as a mom ease into fall. Hopefully you’ll find them helpful too!

1. Don’t Judge Your Life in September

I remind myself of this often. Those first few weeks of school rhythms can either make me feel super on top of things or at times completely deflated! Give yourself grace in September. Offer yourself and your family time to remember the details and expectations of a new season. If life feels a little messy…trust it will improve.

2. Practice Self-Care

Remember that in order to offer your better self to others, it’s important to care for yourself. So don’t burn the midnight oil, skimp on eating well or lay aside time for prayer and reflection. Self-care is not selfish, it’s needful. 

That said, there are a few practical things I try to have in place. When I follow the tips on this list, our household usually functions better.

3. Stock up on Household Basics

I use end of summer time to purchase extra cleaning supplies, paper products, and toiletries, usually enough to carry me through the fall. 

4. Set up or Freshen your Command Center

This might be as simple as creating a home management binder or an area set to keep up with paperwork and mail. Place contact lists, schedules, and other needed information in ONE place!

5. Create Simple Menu Plans

For the fall season, I plan breakfast and lunch by assigning each day a set of meals, rotating meals each month. Every Monday we have ___ for breakfast and lunch, every Tuesday ___ and so on. Dinners are planned weekly.

6. Do Some Freezer Cooking

If you can manage, plan several freezer cooking days. Another idea is to make double of a meal and freeze. I offer tips on how to plan freezer cooking here in this post. Having a few partial or fully-made meals can be incredibly helpful!

7. Brush up on Systems

Having simple and steady routines for repetitive household tasks such as laundry, paying bills, cleaning and grocery shopping helps keep brain space open for other important tasks. Brush up your plans to follow through on these responsibilities.

I hope your back to school season is off to a great start!  Feel free to add other tips or suggestions in the comments, we'd love to hear them.

Daniele