Soon a new school year will be beginning, our 5 back to school tips will help transition back into a school routine.
As most of us parents look forward to the kids heading back to school, it can also be a hectic time. Getting the kids up and out the door can be a struggle especially when taking care of pets or younger siblings. For our family, I have found 5 simple ways that help make my mornings and afternoons a little less stressful.
Our morning routine is not just for the school year, but through the summer as well. Once their alarm goes off the kids eat breakfast, brush their teeth and then grab an outfit from their closet shelf. I can focus on getting myself and the baby ready since their lunches are already prepped in the fridge, they know to grab a lunch, a snack, freezer pack, water bottle, and juice box.
Back to School Tips:
Get into a routine:
Not just a bedtime routine but a morning routine as well. It may be tough at first, but once the kids get into a routine, it will just come natural. Make sure backpacks are packed the night before, lunchboxes are on the counter, water bottles are filled in the fridge, ect.
Set out clothes the night before
These hanging organizers in the closet provide a convenient way to put together outfits. Every time I do laundry I make sure to re-stock the shelves so my children can just grab a complete outfit instead of searching through their closet and dresser trying to figure out what to wear. This saves time in the morning especially with my middle son who is picky when it comes to choosing what to wear, his favorite outfits are already matched up and ready to go.
Prep breakfast ahead of time
Double, triple, or even quadruple a batch of pancakes, waffles, French toast, and/or breakfast sandwiches. Once cooled, place in the freezer on a cookie sheet until slightly frozen, then toss into a Ziploc bag, mark the date, and store in freezer until ready to use. By placing them in a single layer and allowing them to slightly freeze they will not all be stuck together in the Ziploc. I also do with this with sliced fruit to make smoothies.
Prep school lunches
Every Sunday I prep the children’s school lunches for Monday through Thursday in a reusable container as they get hot lunch on Fridays. Sometimes I’ll ask for input from the kids but my go-to school lunches are: salads, sandwiches, wraps, cheese/ham crackers, or make your own pizza using sandwich thins. I also place individual portioned fruits and veggies in a ziplock bag or container for easy grab and go options. Check out our ideas for school lunches.
Crockpot freezer meals:
Just the the bulk breakfast options that I freeze, I also like to have the freezer stocked with at least 4-5 crock-pot freezer meals. I prep them all in one afternoon and then can just thaw one out and place in the crock pot in the morning. After a busy day I can come home to a warm home cooked meal with little to no prep/mess to clean up. Knowing that I already have a meal prepped leads to less eating out and less worrying about what to make for dinner.
