It’s back to school time. And while many of us, especially me, are happy to have some free time to ourselves, the school routine is just exhausting. Getting up early, dressing the children, feeding them, getting them to school on time, then the homework each day, there just aren’t enough hours in the day. And if your kid plays after school sports, you are trying to run around town, cook dinner, and not lose your temper while doing it. If you stay organized you can get through this school year with success in your home and for your child through their report card. You don’t want to be scrambling in the morning for a clean shirt and you don’t want to be running to Target at 9pm for loose leaf paper. Stay ahead of the work assignments. Create a homework space. Keep a calendar there and mark it for projects due. Read your child’s agenda each day when they come home from school. Make sure you have extra school supplies at your house. Stay stocked up on lunch food. Keep staple items in your freezer for last minute suppers. Drive thrus are just too easy when you are leaving the soccer field. When you cook, make extra and freeze for last minute dinners. Keep your cabinets stocked with the cereal your kids eat. Buy boxed milk just in case. Decide when homework time will be in your house. And keep that schedule. Come up with a bed time and stick to it. Pick out their clothes the night before. Leave out their bathroom needs on the counter so they are ready in the morning. I always make my bed as soon as I get out of it. This prevents me from plopping back in after I drive the kids to school. And then I make my coffee. I have to have my coffee in the morning. I make the lunches in the morning. Usually for breakfast is a banana, cereal, or an egg, maybe french toast, depending on the time. But, I always make the kids drink a big glass of water before they leave. They have to drink and eat something so they can think and function in school. I also eat something. This gets my metabolism going. After they leave, its time to straighten out, do some laundry, do my chores, and then I have plenty of time for everything I need to do. And just 8 hours later, all the chaos begins again. It is overwhelming if you don’t stay on top of the insanity. It is upsetting if you don’t keep your sense of humor. And it is fleeting if you don’t open your eyes, ears and heart before they are off on their own and you have no hair to brush and no one to study spelling words with. Good luck ladies.
Sounds like you are enjoying the time to yourself. I remember your talking about missing your children when they started school a few years back. I’m there now as my youngest just started school all day this year. It is very difficult being home all day alone after having little ones for the past 5 years. How did you make the transition? Any ideas would be most appreciated. Thanks!