Make the back-to-school transition easier with these 6 tips!

On the one hand, getting back into a routine in the fall can sound heavenly, especially if your summer was largely spontaneous and “easy come, easy go.” But that transition from free-range family to “What time does the bus come???” can be turbulent. Here are tips to help parents readjust to the back-to-school world.

1. Create a routine. And post it so everyone in your household can access it. It doesn’t matter if it’s shared across smartphones and tablets or a large whiteboard calendar hanging somewhere everyone can see it. Keep that calendar up to date. Take some time every weekend to go over it with the relevant family members. That will help everyone prepare for what’s ahead each week, and it will help the adults prioritize, plan transportation with other parents, and adapt work schedules if necessary.
2. Plan for family dinners. Numerous studies have shown how beneficial it is for families to eat dinner together on a regular basis. It doesn’t need to be a seven-course gourmet meal; the important thing is to have the time together, even if it’s right before the 7^th grade band concert. Put it into the calendar so it doesn’t slip off the priority list. And hey — Deli Express® has lots of quick sandwich options you can grab on the way home from work. Add a salad and some fruit, and you’re good to go.
3. Pack the night before. Pack what? Everything — lunches, snacks, backpacks, school projects, musical instruments. Deli Express makes packing that lunch incredibly easy with delicious sandwiches both kids and adults can enjoy! Line the nonperishable items up by the door, and have the lunches at the front of the fridge. It will make mornings so much easier!
4. Get up earlier than the kids. Yes, it’s hard to get up even five minutes earlier, especially when fall gets darker and darker in the morning. But if you set that alarm 15 minutes earlier (and don’t hit the snooze button), you can buy yourself some much-needed time to take a deep breath, drink some coffee or tea, and gather your thoughts before the morning barrage begins.
5. Take time each weekend to monitor upcoming needs. Many schools now have all kinds of online portals you can look at to see if your child has tests or major projects coming up, field trips that require permission slips and money, or special events. Take a few minutes every weekend to go through those and adjust the calendar as needed and make sure all the required forms are filled out and ready to go.
6. Don’t aim for perfection. There are just some days when the calendar is too overwhelming. If you and your family don’t get to every item on it, so be it — and when you model “good enough” versus “perfect” to your kids, you’re giving them a great life lesson.