Are You Struggling This Back To School Season?

Inside are a few tips that are saving me right now!

Perhaps like my family, you have children who have gone back to school. Saying goodbye to slow mornings and gentle routines can be hard, but I have a few things that have really helped us all transition. Take what you need!

1. prioritize sleep: this is not a new idea. We know we need quality sleep, but research is showing many kids are still not getting the amount they need. Believe it or not, it is suggested that kids get this amount of sleep. Sadly, many kids have a demanding schedule that doesn’t support the recommended sleep needed to learn, digest and grow. Proper sleep plays perhaps the most important role in their motor, cognitive, language, social and emotional abilities. Therapists, tutors, and nutritionalists are helpful, but imagine the power we haven our children’s lives just simply by guarding their sleeping hours! Do your best to start bedtime routine early (we head in that direction at around 6:45p on school nights, with lights out by 8p because they wake for school at 6a). Even with our older children, we maintain a sleep routine that includes shower, brushing teeth, stretching, and a night time devotional or reading plus a prayer/kiss from mom and dad.
2. eat whole foods: again, nothing new here, but the pay off is worth the extra work it may take to skip the snack bars and grab something less processed. We all get off track in the summer with extra snacking and eating out or while traveling. This is normal! But cooking is something that can serve your family in so many ways. After our twins were born in 2020 and we were essentially thrust into survival mode with two newborns and two toddlers, cooking looked more like microwaving for a long time. But this summer I went to the library each week to borrow a cookbook and began inviting the kids into the kitchen with me, and there is now a fresh approach that we all can enjoy! I encourage you to invite them in to help, while also committing to sitting down together for meal time at least 3x a week.
3. minimize extra commitments: this is a hard one for us, as my children want to do a sport or club or play date almost every day because many of their friends do. But I have found that when we are over scheduled, we aren’t able to prioritize #1 and #2 above, and when that happens, everything breaks down and it feels like we are scrambling each day. This school year I have committed to praying over each invitation we receive; whether it be a birthday party, a sport, youth group, or an outing in general. I believe there is so much value in all of these things, but not if it means sacrificing consistent sleep or quality meals.
4. movement: It seems in this generation we over emphasize organized sports and under emphasize simple movement and activity like walking the dog, biking, scootering, or swimming. I can tell each evening if my children have had enough movement and sunshine simply because they are ready for bed (not in an over exhausted or tantruming way, but in a healthy body rhythm way). This may mean blocking out time each afternoon after school and limiting screen time so that the kids can get outside and move. I often invite my children to walk the dog with me, or to swim with each other to get that last bit of bottled up school energy out. Get creative, have fun (like throwing a ball or chasing bubbles) and remember a little can go a long way!
5. emotional support: there is usually a lot of emotion that comes from a new transition, and back to school season is no different. The above tips should help regulate the nerves, excitement or overwhelm that comes from starting a new school year, but I have found one specific tool that has helped my other kids tremendously- journaling. I know, this may sound obvious coming from a writer like me, but it is a tool that I truly feel every family should use. Often at the end of the day older kids are tired of talking and listening. So to come home and be asked to talk or listen to their parents and offload some of their feelings or thoughts can be difficult. We parents want to get to the root of what is wrong, or what is bothering them, and sometimes our approach can add to their stress (and ultimately to ours). Also, many kids don’t even know why they are feeling the way they do. Writing helps peel back the layers of their day, and allows for an outlet that reveals to them some language or clarity around some of the hurdles or obstacles they faced that day. It also allows them an opportunity to connect with you in a way that is productive. Often my older girls (8,9) will read their journal entries to me, and I am able to see the specifics of their day in a way that directly talking to me wouldn’t have shown. I can then meet them with compassion, patience and more understanding.

I hope these few tips are helpful to you. I encourage you to never stop praying for your children. May they be a good friend and choose good friends this year. May the Lord work in and through them in ways that He sees fit. May they be kind and encouraging, and take on challenges with His power. May they be stretched and grown. And may your mama heart never grow weary in doing good; for every seemingly mundane task like cleaning their uniforms, serving them breakfast, helping them with homework or hearing about that friend drama matters. May your heart delight in knowing that you are bringing Him glory through the messy, selfless, tiring moments of motherhood. And if you are already feeling discouraged this new school year, maybe a prayer you can consider meditating on is one that asks Him to change your attitude and heart posture around the daily tasks and duties He has called you to this season. After all, He doesn’t simply want to draw our children to Him, He wants us to learn to depend on Him while we are being stretched and grown too. Remember, our service to our family in both big and small ways, is how we best serve Him and bring Him glory.

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