5 Easy Ideas to Simplify Back to School

This year Back to School is even more stressful and overwhelming than in years past. Now in August of 2020 we are faced with deciding how to proceed with our kids starting a new school year in the safest way possible while also being what works for our family. Let me say there is no one right answer. There is only what is best for your kid and your family. Either way you are doing school this year. In person, online, homeschooling or a hybrid of the choices. We can make our school year start off on the right foot and simplify back to school as much as we can.

1 Start practicing for earlier mornings two weeks ahead

If you and your kids have been enjoying sleeping in during the morning and staying up late you may not be looking forward to waking up early and going to bed at a reasonable hour again during the school year.

So a week or two before school is to start begin having your kids, and you, go to bed a little earlier and waking up earlier. The further you are away from your school year bed and wake up time during the summer. The more time you need to give yourself and your family to adjust to the new bed and wake up time.

2 Meal prep for Breakfast and Lunches

The night before make sure that if needed lunches are made and ready if you can or have things set up to pack them up quickly before you leave for school in the morning. If your kids are old enough they can help make their lunches or even do it on their own.

My daughter has been making her lunches when she doesn’t want to do hot lunch for years now. Probably since fifth grade and was able to at least help before that.

Want to simplify your morning further prepare breakfast the night before or at least have what you are going to make decided and ready to grab before school.

Here are some great freezer-friendly breakfast ideas to prepare ahead.

3 Set up a Command Center

If you are really looking to simplify going back to school and make things easier for your family then you are going to want to set up a command center. That way calendars, papers, important stuff all have their proper spot that everyone knows about.

If you are looking for some command center inspiration check out the link for some of the best command centers. Having a designated spot will make things so much easier on you during the school year. You will be able to find things faster and easier and your family will know where to put things and to look for them when they need them.

4 Have a designated homework or school area

This is going to be even more important this year than in years before. If your child is doing any part of school from home then setting up a specific area for school is going to make things run more smoothly.

My daughter is going to be doing school on line from home at least for the first half of the year. So I talked to her about where she would like her school space to be in her room or the dining room. She wants it in her room so her desk is set up and she will have her computer and school supplies set up there.

This way all school papers get put in one place and bot all over the house. Even during our regular school years this is important so that things don’t get lost or misplaced.

5 Plan things the night Before

Even though most nights you might feel like either vegging out and binging netflix or going to bed early. I get that so do I. If you take just 15 minutes to prepare for the next morning you will be making your school mornings so much less stressful and run much easier.

So the night before make sure backpacks and lunchboxes are ready. That outfits are picked out. That the house is picked up and tidy so that you can get things taken care of in the morning without the added stress of clutter and mess.

If you make the extra effort to do these five simple tasks then you will be setting you and your family up for easier and less stressful mornings. These aren’t hard things to do but they will help to simplify back to school.

If your kids are going back to in person school or are doing school from home I believe these will help you out. I wish the best for you and your kids this school year.