You can feel it in the air – it’s almost time for back to school season! The commercials are in full force and everyone is planning their last minute summer getaways before the rush of school begins.

While this time of year is bittersweet, it can come with scheduling challenges and resistance to routine.  Follow along for some helpful tips to get back into the swing of things in a peaceful, organized way!

Reestablish routine

This is the #1 tip for back to school success! Reestablishing a routine is not always fun for the household, but it will pay off majorly very soon.

Starting now, begin going to bed earlier – a little bit each day.  From here, arrange for your kids to have quiet time for an hour or so in the afternoons.  This process gets them prepared for homework after school, and into the mode of work before play.  If your kids prefer doing homework at night, put the quiet time towards the later part of the day.

Another part of establishing routine is making sure everyone is checking family boards or calendars before they leave the house; this helps to avoid items being forgotten once school starts.

Just because it’s back to school time doesn’t mean all the fun has to end! It just means that those little parts of your routine that involve waking up earlier and spending time doing work independently can start being integrated right now.  Everyone will appreciate this process when the first morning goes smoothly!

Work ahead

Once school starts, mornings can be a little more grueling.  Kids aren’t the only ones who will feel the change – you will as well!

Additionally, as a mom, you might be responsible for pick up or midday happenings with the kids, which might be a huge change from your summer work schedule.  Starting now, begin working ahead in some of your home based work.  Luckily, this is doable in a work from home position, affording you some more time to get back into the groove along with your kids and family.

Get organized

We all know that there are often lists and numerous items that your kids will need for the school year.  By becoming organized with these lists now, you can avoid unnecessary purchases and ensure that everything needed will be in hand on the first day.  If you haven’t received a predetermined list from the school, start by organizing your list(s) by class, grade, and/or child’s needs.  You can refer to the previous year’s lists in the future as well, which saves time and effort.

This is also a wonderful time to organize your home! Starting the year with a calm, organized house leaves everyone feeling more calm and peaceful.  Show your kids where their items are to go – backpacks, shoes, school papers, calendars and so on – so they know what to do when school begins.  You can even have them start utilizing some of these things now in preparation for the year ahead.

Start your schedule

Much like reestablishing routine, actually begin and enforce a schedule right now! Morning routines can reestablished by waking up at a reasonable time, having a healthy breakfast, and potentially planning a few structured activities for the day to get everyone on a schedule.

When your kids go back to school, it’s important that they’re somewhat prepared mentally and physically for the transition.  Summer can often mean late nights, late mornings and lax schedules – and that’s what makes it so much fun! However, now is the time to get back into another routine that is more structured and also fun.  Kids and adults alike tend to thrive on routine, so establishing these schedules now will make those first few weeks as seamless as possible!