Our first day of school was an absolute success… if by “success” you mean “everyone got there eventually.” We had one miss the bus, one forget their summer project and another forget their lunch. Don’t even get me started on all the after school activities. Juggling practices and games and lessons and pickups and drop offs – all while battling Philly traffic… Clearly we need some help simplifying our routines and getting on track!
To help get our craziness under control, we’re implementing some simple solutions to get our new routines back on track.
- Building Healthy Routines: We’re working on building good habits back into our schedules. For me? It means waking up and immediately putting on my workout clothes. Then as soon as the bus pulls away, I’m all set to head over to the gym, without going back into the house and getting distracted by 100 other things and having the morning gets away from me.
- Simplifying Steps: I’m making everything I can as simple as possible: I pay bills automatically, I have subscriptions set up so household items like toilet paper get delivered to my door on a regular basis. Simplify as many routines as you can and watch your stress levels go down.This also includes simplifying my morning make-up routine. I’m all about finding products that give me more bang for my buck. I’m loving COVERGIRL & Olay Simply Ageless – it’s not just foundation. Its anti-aging makeup with SPF 22! So that’s anti-aging + sunscreen + lightweight coverage in one. I can wash my face, put Simply Ageless on and run out the door. Now that’s a solution for a busy morning!
- Recharging: This is the time of year when we all run ourselves into the ground, then get sick around Thanksgiving. So all of us – even the kids – are making an effort to rest and recharge regularly. It’s nothing major – we don’t have family spa days planned. But whether it’s sitting around the fire pit on a Saturday, having a family movie night or just taking a bubble bath, we’re carving out downtime into our schedules this fall. For this Mama, it’s taking one night a week for a little at-home pampering. Nothing major – but taking a little time for myself goes a long way in making the rest of the week less stressful. One of my favorites is taking a bath with my favorite lavender bath salts while indulging in the Pantene Pro-V Hair Masque – a deep conditioning treatment that takes just two minutes once a week. It makes my hair smooth, prevents it from drying out and repairs all that damage from heat styling. (It’s amazing on my kids’ hair too, that is a dried out mess from swimming!) Perfect for combatting the sometimes muggy weather that is still hanging around Philly in September.
- Keep your cool: You will drop the ball sometimes – but don’t sweat it. I have a lot of balls in the air between my full-time job – and my second full time job as a mom – and some days I’m literally running to the bus stop (late) while finishing up a conference call. And don’t get me started about getting stuck in the legendary Philly traffic! It’s so easy to lose your cool. I depend on Secret Clinical Smooth Solid – its Adapts & Responds™ Technology automatically adjusts to those ups and downs throughout the day to keep me dry.
- Giving back: What is more rewarding than giving, after all? Our New Years’ Resolution was to volunteer and give to charities as a family more. This fall, we’re so excited to support the #8or8 Challenge which asks people to give $8 or cut and donate 8 inches of hair to help create free, real-hair wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer.My Aunt Linda was diagnosed with cancer last year and she lost her hair. It was so traumatic for her in a time when she was already in the fight of her life. It may sound silly, but it’s more than hair. Getting her wig was a huge boost for her morale – it gave her confidence and helped her feel like a normal person again!The number eight is significant for Pantene Beautiful Lengths for many reasons – more than 800,000 ponytail donations have been received to-date, it is a minimum donation of an 8 inch ponytail and it takes a minimum of 8 ponytails to create one wig. Wigs are distributed free of charge to women with cancer through American Cancer Society Wig Banks.Will you join us in supporting #8or8?
- Donate Money: Every dollar matters. Even $1 donated to Beautiful Lengths makes a difference
- Challenge Your Friends: Share your donation and encourage your friends to participate in the #8or8 Challenge by using #8or8 and #BeautifulLengths, tagging @Pantene
- Donate Your Hair: Looking to make a change for fall? September 8th is also National Donate Your Hair Day! To donate hair, simply go to your local salon, measure a ponytail of at least 8 inches and make the cut. For full instructions, visit beautifullengths.com
One lucky ATC reader will win all of our favorite products featured here – COVERGIRL & Olay Simply Ageless, Secret Clinical Smooth Solid, and Pantene Pro-V Hair Masque.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post series with P&G. All opinions are my own.
About Melissa
#1 is SO key for me. I try to do this every day. Love all your tips. I definitely want to try that Pantene Pro-V Hair Masque!!
Its great for the girls, too!
I need no excuse to relax and recharge! ; ) I love Covergirl products for travel and every day.
I need to remind myself of #1 over and over again. I do so love that your family is working on giving back together. This is a huge priority for us. I’m not familiar with the #8or8 program, but love everything you shared.
SUCH great information here–thank you for sharing, Melissa!! I am ALL over #1 this year. If I get up and do not put on workout clothes, the workout will never happen. And #8 is SUPER important for us as parents especially, and I have NEVER heard of #8or8 before–so thank you!!!
Start goingto bed earlier the last few weeks before school starts
Best start is to get your sleeping schedule back on track
I’d say the best way to have a smooth transition for school is about 2 weeks before school get the kids on regular routine again for going to bed. So much easier if their little clock is on schedule.
I dont have one… It is like removing a band aid.. pull and go for it.
I get the kids in the routine a week before school starts.
I think it’s important to get into a good sleep routine a week or two before school starts to feel rested.
I don’t have one to give because i don’t have any kids
I’m working on simplifying as much as I can this fall. It’s tough juggling being a mom, volunteer, and writing a blog.
We ease the transition back to school by changing our routine 2 weeks before school starts. The kids go to bed earlier, and we have a daily schedule that includes specific times for schoolwork (reading and math), lunch and “recess” (playtime).
Right now they’re in school year round, but when they come back from long breaks, we slowly start inching their bedtimes back a bit so it’s not one big shock.
Love your tips! A big one for me is doing as much as possible the night before. 🙂
Great tips for make mom (me!) a priority.
I’m all about the healthy routines. We stock the fridge full of healthy food on Sunday, including washing fruit, making bags of veggies, etc. so we are ready to go for the week.
Have a plan or schedule written down and stick to it.
I try to find some time for me each day but it’s hard school, band, cheerleading and sport practices wear me out
start getting into some kind of routine a few weeks ahead
Prepare the night before!! Thanks for the chance.
You need to get a lot of sleep and go to bed at a decent time.
Setting up routines a few weeks before school starts – evening routine, wake-up time, etc. That way the 1st day of school won’t come as such a surprise.
I do home learning activities during summer to keep the things they learned the previous year fresh.
We transition into the bedtime change instead of doing it all at once.
Definitely start going to bed and waking up earlier so it’s not a shock.
Depending on how easily a kid shifts schedule, somewhere between a two weeks and a month before the first day, start shifting closer to school-night bedtime routine, making sure to be fully at it the week before the first day.
My secret is to be prepared and get to bed early. This makes for a happier morning!
Decide what you are wearing he night before and make sure you know were your shoes are.
Get into a routine in the weeks leading up to school starting, and prep as much as you can the night before! It makes things run so much smoother the next day!
Just being organized! Know what you’re wearing, where you are going and when you have to be there!
One week before school starts, I get my son to bed early and get him up early. He gets used to it and the first day of school goes smoothly!
We practice the week before. Getting up on time, having a good breakfast and packing up bags!
We start going to be on time and waking up on time a week before shcool starts to get back in the groove!
Establishing a routine early is key.
For me, getting a routing established before school actually starts helps a lot!
The hardest, but most important thing, is making sure to get enough sleep. Go to bed early and get a good nights rest so that your mind is ready for a fresh new day at school.
a smooth transition to school.. learning a schedule. Keep a planner, organize everything – write down everything. It helps keep everything in one place and you’ll never miss a beat
get into a good sleep routine
I actually haven’t had to deal with it yet. My daughter is only 2.
sleep sleep sleep! and eating healthy
My best tip is to start switching back towards a school schedule about a week in advance, so your system isn’t chocked by a drastically new wake-up time.
I get everything done the night before.
Do as much the night before so you are not rushing around in the morning
I start getting up earlier a week or two before classes start.
We try getting into a routine the last week of summer.
My tip is to maintain a sleep schedule again! Late summer nights can leave the family feeling tired when school comes around!
organize clothing and lunch the night before to avoid stress in the morning
Organizing everything and keeping a schedule helps!
Stick to a routine and go to bed earlier.
start early get clothes set up night before and make sure they go to bed
We try to prepare the night before. Showers, laying out clothes, checking homework, etc…
Get to bed an hour earlier.
Get everything ready the night before.
We try and transition back into going to bed and waking up early a week before!
We always think of preparing our kids for back to school, but I know I had to prepares myself as well. I made up a lot of meals in batches and frozen them in meal serving this way. I know when the kids come home I have time to spend with them for homework or just chatting about school or friends they made.
Sticking to a routine is the best for us, we prep as much the night before so the mornings are calm and relaxed.. well as much as they can be haha
Well hate to admit it but my tip is to not stress over bedtime. I don’t spend the two weeks prior to the start of school arguing with my son to get in bed earlier. Nope I just don’t do it. Instead we make sure he goes to bed at a decent time the night before school starts. After the first day of school he’s tired and ready to get in bed at his normal school bed time. Saves us lots of arguments and he always adjust after the first night.
Start getting on schedule
My tip for making back to school a smooth transition is to go online to the school’s website ahead of time. This is to get familiar with policies, read bios of teachers (if available) and to mark important dates down ahead of time.
Lay out outfits the night before and allow extra time in the morning for breakfast!
Have a plan for school lunches for at least the first month, at a minimum. It makes everything go more smoothly if this is something you don’t have to think about. I like to put some lunch stuff in the freezer to make it even easier.
Getting everyone back on a regular sleep schedule a couple of weeks before school starts is key.
Post a family calendar and keep everyone informed.
I try to prepare a week ahead of time, like bed time and waking up.
We are just as disorganized in the summer! Lol
Planning, scheduling and prep helps us transition.
So some yoga to ease back to school anxiety
plan ahead meals, outfits, etc…..
Keep a schedule!
At least a week before school starts, make sure they are going to bed at their normal school bedtime.
Routine for us! With three boys we have to have a routine down for everything to go smoothly. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Extra sleep for me and the kids! Also have them get their backpacks ready to go the night before.
I try (notice try) to start moving bedtimes and morning routines about 2 weeks before school starts 🙂
Get back to an early bed time schedule ahead of time!
by using moisturizer every night before bed!
Organization is the key to having things run smoothly! Thanks!!!
we usually start a week before school starts with going to bed early and getting up early. laying our close out the night before
My secret is to go with the flow.
I would say that working out a schedule and getting into routine are the best ways I have of doing this.Thanks for the great tips.I also enjoy giving back by donating to a good cause and believe in paying it forward when I can.
we start preparing two weeks before so everyone is ready for the big day.
My secret for a smooth back to school transition is routine! I start getting the kids into it about 2 weeks before school starts back!
I agree with so many posts so far-the key to a smooth start is to not jump into too much all at once and to keep a routine for the household.
It’s all about keeping a schedule, as long as we stay on track everything runs smoothly.
We set up a routine which includes laying out clothes at night before bed and setting a bedtime so everyone gets enough sleep.
started going to bed earlier and getting up earlier the week before so we wouldnt be so groggy the first week of school
I think the best thing we TRY to do is to adjust our sleep schedules so we aren’t just dead that first week back!
I adjust the kids schedule to the one we use for school a few weeks before it starts and I have their clothes out the night before
Letting kiddo dress himself helps start the days… who cares if it’s beige cargo shorts paired with winter spider man boots
We work on becoming more independent, packing lunches, getting clothing ready, setting an alarm.
Grab a shelf and sort their Monday – Friday complete outfits. OMG this has been life-saving!
Thanks for the chance~
We have our children go to bed earlier the last few weeks before school starts.
i try to prep as much as possible the night before
We start going back to school bedtimes about two weeks before it starts. We also start talking about what kind of lunches they would like this year.
We plan ahead and slowly get the kids back into school schedule by enforcing curfews and bedtimes.
Stay on a schedule. At makes the transition a lot easier and stick to it every day.