As the mother of six children aged two to eleven, and Co-Founding VP of leading personalized label company, Mabel’s Labels, streamlining back-to-school routines is essential!
1) Help your kids to help themselves
- Rather than wasting time nagging my kids to pack their homework or lunch, etc. I give them the tools and encouragement needed to think for themselves.
- At our house, my little ones use a ‘Ready, Set, Go’ Board to manage their morning routines. Every child marks off duties as they’re completed and if each is done without verbal reminders, they earn a check mark in my wonderful and elaborate reward system. The picture icons are perfect for pre-readers and children feel good about themselves when they have big kid responsibilities.
2) Organization starts with you!
- Make sure everything has a home. Each of my children has a cubby for their agendas and homework. And, since there’s nothing worse than running around in the morning trying to find gym shoes or school forms, I avoid the chaos by designating a location for all school and lunch gear.
- Get most of your organization done the night before – pack lunches, lay out school clothes, fill out and pack forms – I even put the cereal on the table!
3) Streamline lunches
- I freeze sandwiches to use throughout the week, or make casseroles and soups on the weekend to throw in a Thermos when the colder weather hits.
- Instead of fiddling with juice boxes (which aren’t the best for their appetite or teeth), I opt for eco-friendly, refillable water bottles.
- If you have a child with allergies, be sure to put an Allergy Alerts label on all of their reusable lunch containers to remind caregivers and lunch buddies.
4) Label look-alike items
- If you or your kids have ever found yourselves puzzling over identical looking clothes or uniforms, you’ll know what a time-saver labelling can be. Use waterproof labels on clothes, shoes, bags and school supplies to let everyone know who owns what and you’ll get out the door much quicker.
- Best of all, labelling will keep stuff out of the lost and found, saving the time, cost and hassle associated with having to re-buy items.
5) Divide and conquer!
- Having to get your baby or toddler out the door every morning so you can get your bigger kids on the bus can add a lot more time and stress to your morning, especially in wintry weather. I hire an older kid who goes to the same bus stop and is happy to do the morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off for a cool $20 a week. “Bus buddies” are a terrific investment for busy mamas.
With the right support, routine, tools and environment, even this “mama of many” can pull off happy and stress-free school days.
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