Back to school time: 8 sanity savers parents swear by for back-to-school success
As summer winds down and the school year approaches, achieving back-to-school success can feel overwhelming. With a few smart strategies and some forward planning, you can transform the chaos into a smooth and stress-free transition. From buying supplies bit by bit to batch-cooking meals, these sanity-saving tips will help you and your family start the school year on the right foot.
By JESSICA HAGGARD
For the AP
As summer winds down and the school year approaches, achieving back-to-school success can feel overwhelming. With a few smart strategies and some forward planning, you can transform the chaos into a smooth and stress-free transition. From buying supplies bit by bit to batch-cooking meals, these sanity-saving tips will help you and your family start the school year on the right foot.
Buy supplies a little at a time
A lot of us are used to the one big backto- school haul before school starts, but if the mere idea of another back-to-school shopping trip is already stressing you out, here’s an alternative. Instead of a stressful, onetime shopping spree, spread out your school supply purchases over a few weeks.
This approach eases the financial burden, allows you to snag deals as they pop up, and makes shopping more manageable and less rushed. Plus, you can avoid the back-toschool shopping crowds, making the process smoother and more enjoyable. You and your child can easily find the perfect outfit for the first day of school and pick out essential supplies without the stress.
“To stay sane, I try to do as much in advance as I can,” says Heidi Bruaw from Real Life of Lulu. “These days, our school posts supply lists for the following year on the last day. Throughout the summer, I buy a few supplies bit by bit when I find them on sale so I don’t have to make one big trip when the stores are so busy right before school starts.”
As Bruaw mentions, “I buy clothes throughout the summer when they’re on sale too. It keeps me from being overwhelmed by all the crowds in the days before school begins.” By taking these steps, you can make backto- school shopping a much more pleasant experience.
Ease back into your routine early
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Most kids fall into an irregular routine during the summer. Bedtimes get pushed back a little later, mealtimes are not so rigid, playtime becomes scattered throughout the day, and so on. To bring them back to their usual schedule, it’s important to do so gently and gradually.
According to Children’s Minnesota, setting children back into a regular routine before school helps reduce stress and makes it easier for them to transition into a consistent schedule again. Kids thrive on routines, after all.
Shelby from Fit As a Mama Bear shares her experience, saying, “As a mom of three, I’ve found that in my house, we thrive on routine. So, before back-to-school even happens, I begin weaning us into the routine we need for school days with earlier mornings, more structured bedtimes, etc. This starts about three weeks in advance of schools opening again.”
• Spring and Fall Cleanups
• Tree Removal, Pruning and Topping
• Stump Grinding – Surface Roots
• Hedge and Shrub Removal and Trimming
• Lot/Hillside Cleanup
• FIREWOOD ALL YEAR ROUND
Batch cook make-ahead meals
Batch-cooking freezer meals before school starts is a lifesaver for busy parents. Having a stash of delicious, home-cooked meals ready to go means no more scrambling to figure out dinner after a long day.
Bruaw emphasizes the benefits, saying, “As I have time in the summer, I prepare freezer
