4 Back to School Tips for the Working Mom

When I was growing up, I used to love preparing for the new school year.  A few weeks before the big day, we would get new school clothes, supplies, and begin going to sleep a little earlier in order to be ready for the first day of school.  For working moms (and dads), preparing for the first day of school can add a lot to an already full schedule.  I lament that the preparations make it all feel like checking off a to-do list, rather than an exciting time that.  The purpose of this post is to provide back to school tips for the working mom (and dad) so that you can actually enjoy it and make memories.

Mrs. Type A’s back to school tips for the Working Mom (and Dad):

 1.  Plan for the “knowns”

This can also be simplified as, “Get the Halloween costume in August!”

Huh?

Let me explain….

There are a lot of things that you know will happen during the school year that you can start planning now.  The school likely publishes a calendar, so be sure to add all key dates to your family’s calendar.

Once you get the calendar, you can take care of any preparation ahead of the school year.  So, for example, you know there is a Halloween event in October.  Get the costume figured out before school starts.  You know you will eventually have to do that, so do it early.

Other things in this category include Sprit Day/Wear School Colors, Wear your favorite jersey day, etc, etc.  Once you see all these events on calendar, go through what you have in your house and purchase anything if you have a gap.  Or, if you have them, set them aside until the time comes.

Another prominent “known” is the paperwork (or the “dang forms” as it is referred to in Working Moms Against Guilt, which I find hilarious).  You can do all the paperwork (or, at least, gather all the information), way in advance so it’s not a rush to finish up as you’re walking out the door the first day of school.

The whole reason it’s important to plan for the “knowns” is because there are “unknowns.”  If you take care of the things you’re certain you will need to do anyway, you will be better able to absorb the unknowns.

However, you can still plan for unknowns…

2.  Plan for “known unknowns”

These are certain events that you are sure will happen, but you just don’t know when.  So, for example, birthday parties.  You know your child will be invited to birthday parties once the school year starts.  So, why not stock up on birthday gifts now?  I buy a half dozen or so birthday gifts that I store in a closet and, when the kids get invited to a party, I just take one of the spare gifts out of the closet and off we go to have pizza and cake.  I purchase board games and mini, gender neutral Lego sets, but you’ll have to think of things that are age appropriate.

Other things in this category may be snacks for sports practice, picture day outfit, family photos, secret santa, etc etc.

3.  Keep key items in your car

As I was driving into the school parking lot to drop my son off one day, I realized he didn’t have his shoes on.  For some reason, he didn’t put them on.  I sighed, thinking I’d have to go home to get the shoes, and then come back; I’d most certainly be late for work.  However, I kept an extra pair of shoes in the car.  It was an older pair, so they weren’t ideal but they were good enough for one day.  Since then, I become more strict about the “shoes get taken off and left in the car when we get home rule” rule (see here).

Other things to consider keeping in the car include:  extra shirts, jackets, umbrella, snacks, water bottles, hats and sunscreen.  I even keep spare items for myself (i.e., shoes, blouse, etc).  Every six months or so, I open the bag and rotate the items based on our needs and what may have expired.

This stash of extra items helps minimize hiccups that will happen during the year.  It is also helpful in the event you hit bad traffic, or your car breaks down.

4.  Step up meal prep

This is probably one of the most important back to school tips for the working mom!

I’ve mentioned before that having healthy dinners is a priority for me, and I rely heavily on cooking / freezing for that.  In the weeks before school starts, consider building up a freezer stash of meals and snacks.  This can help eliminate some stress as the household adapts to the new back to school routine.  Also, I find there are many evening events as the new school year kicks off (i.e., parents’ association meetings, meet the teacher night, etc).  So, having prepared healthy meals in your freezer can help get through this time.

I also put together a meal plan for the first 4 weeks of school.  I line up what we will eat every night and when I will prepare what.  By the time that 4 weeks is up, I feel like we have settled in a bit. At that point, I have the mind space to dedicate to meal planning on an ongoing basis.

I have found that, by implementing these 4 back to school tips for the working mom, I am able to minimize the stress of the new school year.  As a result, I am able to focus more on the excitement of the year to come and make lasting memories.

While some of these steps may feel a bit extreme, I honestly feel that this planning also helps model good behavior for my children.  I can already see them thinking ahead and planning for future activities.  What a great way to foster independence and maturity!

Best of luck to everyone starting school over the next few weeks!  I’d love to hear more of your back to school tips for the working mom below!