Whether or not you are prepared, kids need to go back to their classrooms. Don’t lose your sanity. Be a supermom with these life-saving hacks. When the schools are about to reopen, you can reimagine the morning madness. Are you trying to get over the vacation laziness and get into the usual routine?. Don’t worry; this article will bring you the best hacks to beat the morning blues and steer clear of stress.
Plan your Lunches:
Liven up the lunchboxes of your children with some quick yet yummy recipes. Keep easy meals like microwave taquitos, quesadillas, mini frozen pizzas, whole wheat buns and pasta stocked up at all times in your kitchen. Frozen shredded chicken, cheese, sweet corn, and veggies can be used to add a new flavor and make a new meal every day for your kids. Toss in a pasta salad with broccoli and baby corn or make delicious patties placed between whole wheat buns and save yourself the panic of the early morning rush. Remember that making the food yourself will save you money and help your child eat as healthy as possible. You can even put up a lunch calendar on your fridge to be more organized. The possibilities are endless!
Follow a “To Do” List:
Make a ‘to-do’ list or a daily chart and stick it on the kitchen wall. This is the easiest way for the kids to know what their routine is like and they can keep ticking off the items from the checklist every morning. It’s a lot more peaceful than having to shout instructions at your kids every morning. You have something really important that your kids need to remember? Add it to the list or even stick a note so it does not miss their attention. This will help your kids to stay focused and on-task.
Homework Station for Kids:
Designate a homework station that does not include any distractions. There should be no toys or games anywhere near this area so your kids can only focus on doing their work. Keep a homework tray handy where your kids can find everything they may need – charts, dictionary, thesaurus etc. A desk with drawers for keeping stationery is ideal for young kids. This will teach them to organize their time and value their schoolwork, extremely important skills in the long run. For more back to school tips check out 8 Timeless Tips That Every Mother Should Remember When Kids Go Back to School
Baskets and Coat Hooks by the Door:
Place some baskets or trays near your door so your kids can put their soiled socks and shoes as soon as they are back from the school. Put up a coat hook behind the door, or under the stairs where your children can reach and hang their coats or even their bags. This will keep the inside of your home clean and save you time picking up dirty coats and socks strewn about. Name the pegs so your children know their designated places. This ensures everything is in place for the next morning
Do It The Night Before:
Keep the uniform, socks, and shoes for the next day ready for your kids. You can have separate drawers for the shirts, socks, undergarments, ties etc. of your kids so there is nothing like a “I can’t find my shirt” scenario in the morning. Set the breakfast table in the night itself to save precious time in the morning. Get your kids into the habit of packing their school bags in the night. If you wish, on some days you can prepare ‘frozen sandwiches’ or cheese wraps in the night and keep them ready in the fridge to be picked up in the mornings. This will save you time and energy in the morning, when you feel the most hassled.
Online Shopping for School Supplies:
Save your time, money, and energy by shopping for school supplies online. It is reasonably priced and gets delivered right to your doorstep, leaving you one less thing to worry about. There are also many discounts online during the back-to-school shopping season so shopping online will give you deals you could never get when shopping in stores. Head to Mumzworld for the best selection of school supplies.
Put Labels on Your Child’s Belongings:
When schools reopen every kid has new shiny pencils, brand new crayons, bags, and other stationery. Your child’s belongings may get exchanged with some other child’s supplies. It is best to put a label on what belongs to your kid so there are no chances of it getting stolen or exchanged. It is also advisable to write your child’s name on coats, jackets, or shoes. This will definitely save you money as it will lower the chances of your child misplacing and losing his/her belongings. For more back to school essentials check out Back To School Essentials for a Happy Start
Getting Ready Quickly:
Make sure that your kids perform all the tasks in their morning routine like brushing, bathing, and getting properly dressed before setting foot outside of the house. Make things simpler for your young children by labelling different cups for their toothbrush/toothpaste, soaps and shampoos. Keep your dressing table neatly organized so you have hairbrushes, safety pins, barrettes, and elastic bands all stored just in case your child may need them.
Organize Your Paperwork:
Schools demand a lot of paperwork. If you don’t wish to clutter the shelves of your rooms and get lost in a pile of papers, the smart move would be to organize them into a folder. Make sure all the important paperwork gets filled out immediately and the ones that are no longer required get thrown out. Make copies of paperwork that your kids may need multiple times to save time pulling out repetitive information. Also check out A Working Mumz Guide To Maintaining A Work-Life Balance
Organize your Snacks:
You can buy divided plastic trays from the market and set them up as snack stations in your fridge. When you hand the lunch boxes to your kids in the morning, you can grab some snacks like cheese sticks, yogurt tubes, cherry tomatoes or baby carrots and a juice box to go with the lunches. Make sure snacks like frozen pretzels, crackers, peanut butter, etc. are reserved for after-school time and not easily accessible by your kids, especially if they are young and can’t control themselves.
So, stress no more. Being organized is the key.
