Last updated on August 19th, 2020 at 09:37 pm
Well, it’s that time of year again!
Back to school season never seems to amaze me in its ability to fret, burden, and debilitate! It’s been known to take down entire families, people….
Do you know what I mean? Do you find yourself – and your household – literally just (barely) existing in survival mode? 🚍😬🤦
Well, this blog post will help you conquer this insanity, friends!
You see, I have managed to create rituals in my own household before and during the oft-dreaded Back To School season that I will share with you in order to help you take some of the stress OUT of the equation! I will also share with you how we’ve maintained much healthier and more robust immune systems….especially difficult in my household since my kiddo is in 2nd grade and my husband teaches high school! #germsareeverywhere
I truly believe you’ll find value in this post. It outlines completely do-able and approachable ways to maintain a strong body, mind, and spirit in order to survive “back to school” week (a mommy friend of mine refers to it as ‘hell week’ in her household 😋) and beyond! And remember, if you find value in this post, don’t forget to share it!
Interestingly, I now really enjoy the time leading up to back-to-school. I didn’t used to. I swear: if I brushed my teeth each day during previous back-to-school seasons I thought it was a win. 😩
Our family travels A LOT during our summers, so now that I have the afore-mentioned rituals down to an art, I actually really DO enjoy getting back into more of a routine, and the groove of it all. But, it wasn’t always such a groove, y’all…..
Now that I have the below tips and tricks in place, the whole household just flows along with it and there’s less chaos, less stress, less illness, less yelling for sure, and less overall turmoil! I will outline just how YOU TOO can incorporate these practices into your families lives so it will in fact become tradition…just as it has in MY household!
Because with back-to-school season there is also an actual seasonal shift as we head into Fall, I think you’ll find the spotlight on health and wellness particularly useful. 🎒🍂📕✏
⇒ As a side note, make sure you haven’t scheduled anything else leading up to back-to-school week or beforehand. It is, obviously, most helpful to not have a bunch of extra obligations to take up your most-precious time during this season!
Remember, my family starts this back-to-school-sanity routine about 1-2 weeks before the first day of school:
KIDDOS:
Schedule appointments haircuts, pediatrician, eye, and holistic dentist (here and here are some links to inform you more on the WHY of it all….)
Go Through Clothes: go through ALL drawers and closets and get rid of anything that doesn’t fit your kiddo(s) anymore! Better yet, donate them to those less fortunate! Our family LOVES utilizing ThredUp – and we even find some great brand name items at the Goodwill! Recycling clothing is incredibly important in this day-and-age for our environment! You really will be doing Mother Earth a great service by not supporting the continual over-production of clothes! 🌎 This lovely lass helps to inspire me to waste less and leave less of a footprint. I also find it super useful to put my son’s clothes in lower cupboards and drawers so he can dress himself in the morning! I know….it’s the little things. 😆
Communicate with your family, peeps! What I mean is this: ask your kiddo(s) what foods they’re really enjoying right now — then, make sure to add their choices into their lunch boxes! Ask your partner what he/she would like to see more of on the dinner table, and incorporate those items into your meal planning!
Remind both your kids as well as your partner of just what the daily grind will look like each day; karate lessons 🥋on Tuesdays and Thursdays = meal-prepped vegan tacos and paleo tacos! Fridays does the cook in your family need a break? (always) Schedule an order-out night or – dare I say it – a date night with a babysitter scheduled??? 🙌
Also, have a sit-down with your kiddo(s) to remind them how much time you’d LIKE to spend (ha-ha) doing homework each evening, and reinforce the idea that the quicker it is completed the more prizes/bonuses/treats/whatever-will-motivate-them is in their future!
Remember, meal planning (or, at least a rough version of meal planning) really IS helpful and can make those weekday evenings sooooo much more enjoyable and relaxing! I source all my groceries from here and have them delivered to me. One less thing to do! ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒
Organize/Streamline That Homework Station! This is super important! It will totally help you – and your child(ren) – remain sane during the craziness of back-to-school season. Get rid of old paperwork that you don’t need to keep, clean out and reorganize folders, pencil packs, backpacks, and all drawers/cupboards you assign to your kiddo(s) homework station. I always feel SOOOO good after I’ve completed this! It never ceases to amaze me just how much I end up throwing out or recycling! Have your child assist you so you are teaching him/her how good it feels to meet the new school year lighter and more straightened out! And if he/she wants to keep everything – put your foot down and say NO! 😋
Bedtime Routine Obviously, this is a BIG one! It’s best, I have found, to start about a full week before the first day of school; have your kid(s) get to bed at the most appropriate (cough, earliest, cough) bed time so by the time DAY 1 of school starts, you aren’t dealing with an utter and complete monster!!! ⏰👹💤
We’ve ALL been there, and we ALL know how difficult it is to get them out the door on time when they’re grumpy….Help yourself out by applying this to the bottoms of their feet each night! You’ll be ahmazed how well it works!
Start and Maintain Strong Immunity! This has, traditionally, been a super tough one in our household: my son is in elementary, and my hubby teaches high school AND at our local junior college!!! And I struggle with auto-immune issues. Can you say DOOMED???? 😩
When we started ALL utilizing essential oils on-the-regular (this is KEY!!!) …. well, our world changed. Literally, y’all: like, a complete 180!!!! We all pretty much maintain health all year round now. This is the kit I started with: I suggest it because it gives you everything you need to truly incorporate these oils into your daily life! This way, it won’t be something you ordered that just collects dust! I truly want you to incorporate these magical oils on-the-daily! 💜
Sure, there will be the occasional sniffle and cough every once in awhile, but considering the 👆previously mentioned household status…..well, we feel it would be nearly impossible to NOT get sick!
I’ve also noticed that when my son does get sick or has to stay home from school, it’s when we’ve been lax on using the oils daily/regularly! No coincidence, I assure you! So, I’m not saying no one will ever not get ill, but at least when we do, we’re well prepared to beat off any germs. And, without antibiotics or icky prescription meds! It’s so important in this day-and-age to minimize toxins in our littles (and ourselves!) as much as possible, and adopting this totally organic/natural wellness lifestyle helps you achieve this!
And kids love oils and find them interesting and fun! My son gets a thrill of rolling this on each morning before school and this when we sit down to do homework….
Here’s A Breakdown for the kiddos:
👉 Vitamins and Probiotics on-the-regular! (my son won’t drink my homemade kefir YET, so he’s still on the doTERRA probiotics – the link is a video you should check out – and he LOVES them!)
👉 On Guard has been a * LIFE SAVER * for my family! I will usually put some in a roller bottle and roll it on my son’s feet and his chest each morning a few weeks before school starts because these products really boost the immune system! We all use this to brush our teeth with each morning and night!
👉 I utilize this magic little number on my son’s scalp and forehead starting a few weeks before school and during the first few months. I’ll usually combine some Lavender, Rosemary, and Ylang Ylang (my favorite oil for homemade perfume!) along with some of this in a spray bottle for ultimate support)
Want proof? My son has NEVER come home with lice in 3 years of my doing this — even when other kiddos in his classroom(s) DID get it!!! #melaleucaforthewin
📢 PRO TIP? Keep all essential oils and blends in a basket near backpack/jackets/garage door/easy access! This way they’ll actually get used!
👉 Smoothies To Save The Day! My son is a VERY picky eater, so smoothies are a total go-to in my house to ensure he’s getting all the veggies and fruits he needs to grow strong. Besides, I use it too!
👉 Brush them Toofers – we also use this after brushing!
👉 Wash those little hands on-the-reg!
HOUSEHOLD:
Medicine Cabinet ✅ I go through all of the medicine(s) and wellness products we have and throw anything out that is expired. I keep a pen and pad of paper with me and note any oils or supplements I need to order. I also order new toothbrushes and make sure, inventory-wise, I’ve got everything.
Kitchen + Pantry Clear Out! I just find that if I take the time to do this I feel soooooo much more organized and feel the daily ‘wake-up-make-lunches-and-breakfast-routine’ is soooooo much more streamlined. Obviously, I throw out anything expired or bad, and reorganize the fridge and pantry: like-with-like-items, etc. I also keep a pen and pad of paper with me and jot down anything I need to order from my favorite online grocery source as well as reference my fave meal planning source (it’s free!!!) to review what our family will be eating in the coming weeks! I also try my best to get a few freezer meals done and stored so it’s just dump-and-eat the first 1-2 weeks of back-to-school. I also make sure my son’s lunch bag is washed and ready for the new year! These have completely changed my world, you guys!!! No more icky plastic ziplocs!!!! 🌎🙌
Room-By-Room Check: I have found this to be totally useful. It’s so easy, too! I just go from room to room (yup, pen and paper in hand!) and write down anything needed or updated! It’s like a version of spring cleaning, without the no-fun cleaning part! #Hallelujah! For instance, laundry room ☑ : running low on stain remover? Jot it down so you don’t forget to reorder! Guest bath need new soap and bath supplies? Don’t forget the garden and yard, too! This way you’ll be so much more stocked up and organized so you don’t have to worry about this stuff during the craziness of the school year! Or, at least the majority of the year, anyway!
Family Meeting (Pre) 1st-Day-Back! What this really means is going over the upcoming calendar together. Plan any future trips and schedule them, review any upcoming birthdays or holidays and set alerts in your phone ahead of time so you can send card/gift out (this is my fave source for gifts for others!), schedule date nights, review all extra-curricular activity calendar(s) and jot them down on said calendar, and anything else that might need to be noted. I find this REALLY keeps our family organized!
Meal Plan, Meal Plan, Meal Plan….. Did I say meal plan???? Okay, I can TOTALLY see you giving me side-eye, here. I get it. And I know I already covered it a little above 👆 – but I cannot stress it enough!!! I know you’re thinking, “Like, WHO has time to seriously meal plan and stick to it?” Well, that is what I used to think, friends! But the reason everyone out there on social media and Pinterest and podcasts are talkin’ about meal planning (still!) is BECAUSE it truly IS helpful and a complete game-changer!
I’m a huge fan of Kristin Marr’s blog + podcast, Live Simply – she is the muse I needed to get started with (realistic) meal planning! Pick a day that works best for you to sit down and write out/choose the next week’s meals. Even if you don’t do taco’s on taco Tuesday 🌮, that’s okay! At least you’ll have all the ingredients needed on hand to make the taco’s on whatever day works best for you! Mealime makes it easy by providing you a grocery list based on your chosen meals! Did I mention it’s free, too??? 😜
You’ll be sitting down to Netflix and a glass o’ 🍷sooner than you think by the time you FINALLY decide to master meal planning! 🙌
LAST THOUGHTS….
✏ When you are planning out and writing everything down on your yearly calendar, enter the most important events into your phone with an alert up to a week ahead of time. I find this double-whammy-reminder to be a life-saver! I buy a variety of event cards (ex: birthday, get well, thinking of you, Congratulations, etc) in one fell swoop and keep them in my sideboard. This way, whenever an event ‘surprises’ me or ‘just comes up’ – I’ve already got a card to send off! The last thing you want to do is run into the store in between work, school pick-up, karate and soccer practice, and weekend getaways JUST.FOR.A.FREAKIN.CARD. #amen
✏ Have your littles eat out of their lunch box up to a week before school starts. This re-familiarizes them with how to open up food items and packaging and will make it easier for them (and, therefore YOU!) once school begins
✏ Peruse your Pinterest account for any easy recipes, meal planner recipes, or simple dump-and-eat meals. This will help you be ready for shopping and preparing meals – and it will be fresh in your mind 🧠
✏ Try to schedule certain days – each week it’d be the same – for particular tasks: laundry night on Fridays, meal prepping on Sundays, grocery shopping on Mondays, or something along those lines. I find that if I’m creating a repetitive habit, I’m more likely to REMEMBER it and to get ‘er done….
✏ My family has been so grateful for taking the plunge and incorporating doTERRA Essential Oils + Supplements into our lives. They honestly play an absolutely critical and indispensable role in the maintenance and improvement of the health of our physical body’s, our minds, and our household. CLICK HERE if you would like to learn more, and to start your very own Wholesale Account, CLICK HERE. 💜
Well, dear readers, I hope this helps all of you parents out there in some way! Even if you take just an aspect or two out of it and it makes your back-to-school routine any easier – I’m thrilled! I know some of you may have already started this season, but even if you have, start incorporating some (or, all!) of it now! It’s never too late!
And remember, if you found this post valuable, don’t forget to SHARE IT !!! 📢
Always Here,
Recent Comments