Back to School Tips for Moms

These back-to-school tips will help moms keep things simplified!

Back to school signs and supplies have been filling the stores ever since the 4th of July ended. This summer has flown by and I can hardly believe we are already preparing for another school year.

Whether you are a homeschool mom, send your kids to public or private school, these tips will be helpful for you!

Get the Cultivate an Intentional School Year Guide to help you prepare for the year ahead!

Back to School Tips for Moms

Do a brain dump and then create a list.

Most moms have a million things on their minds as we approach back-to-school time. It can be hard to focus. Take a minute and do a brain dump. This is when you write down everything that is on your mind. Then you can organize your actual to-do list from this (read tips on how to do a brain dump).

Start to set up simple systems for your home.

Home organization is often on a mom’s mind as school starts back. It is so helpful to have simple systems set up within your home. Having these systems will help you thrive. This includes having an organized entryway, meal planning, laundry, chores, etc.

Start adjusting bedtimes before the first day.

Chances are you have been more relaxed with bedtime. I know we have been even though I have tried to keep somewhat of a rhythm, the bedtimes have been flexible. However, as we get back into school rhythms, most of us want to get back to a bedtime routine.

Instead of waiting for the first day of school to adjust this, start the week before by slowly getting back into the routine.

Talk to your kids.

Every kid is different and processes things differently. Take some time to talk to your kids about starting school. No matter what kind of school you choose, it is good to take the time to connect. If you can, arrange for individual time with your child. You could even do an outing where you shop for school supplies and grab ice cream so you can talk.

Then just ask your child some simple questions. For example:

How are you feeling about the upcoming school year? Excited, nervous, scared?
What are you looking forward to?
What can I do to encourage you?

Go through your kids’ clothing before you head to the stores.

Before you start shopping for fall clothes, take some time to go through each of your kid’s clothing. Take everything out of their dressers and closets. Go through every item and remove what does not fit or is not in good condition. Then make a list of what is needed.

Give yourself and your children some grace.

The first week of school is always a little hard. By Friday, there are normally some tears or anger, depending on the child. During the adjustment time to new rhythms, remember to have grace. It takes time to get into a good rhythm.

Sometimes when I can tell one of our kids is having a hard time, just talking to them about how it is hard to adjust can help calm them and help us all breathe a little easier.