Now that I have PVR on my TV, I never watch commercials. But as I fast forward through the ads, there’s one that always catches my eye around this time of year. It's the back-to-school Staples commercial where the dad is gaily frolicking in the aisles while his kids are miserably following behind him.
While I loved stocking up on new pens, reinforcements, and protractor sets that I never really learned how to use, I remember the anxiety I used to feel before school started. Even though I no longer have to worry about pop quizzes, making friends or cutting off my circulation with my extremely tapered jeans, “back to school” now is a whole other can of worms.
This time of year is bittersweet. It marks the end of the carefree summer and the start of daily routines and rushed mornings. Some of us thrive on routine and like the overjoyed father in the commercial, love that our kids and lives have a set schedule again. But for some, routine and structure are about as painful as wearing button fly jeans when you're pregnant.
So how can you avoid the stress of getting your kids out the door in time and remain employed? Home school. But if you still have to add and subtract by counting on your fingers like me, sending them to a credible school may be a better option.
Here are a few tips to help you make the transition a little easier.
1) Remain calm. If you're stressed out, so is everyone else. Wake up a bit earlier so you can have an actual shower that consists of more than a little deodorant and mouthwash. Get the kids dressed and organized first and then sit them in front of the TV for a few minutes while you put yourself together. Believe me, a little TV time in the morning is far less damaging than showing up to work with the back of your skirt tucked into your pantyhose.
2) Let your kids help where they can. They can pick out their clothes the night before and help pack their school bag. Not only does it teach them responsibility, it keeps things moving faster in the morning.
3) Plan your weekly meals on the weekend. Either cook and freeze or assign a meal for every night. For example, Monday is chicken stir-fry, Tuesday is pasta night, etc. When you feel like you’ve found your groove, feel free to change things up.
4) When possible, assign "Daddy and Mommy Nights". Split the after work responsibilities. For example, Mondays and Wednesdays are the nights that you make dinner and handle the bath and bedtime routine. Tuesday and Thursday nights, Daddy takes over. That way you both have time during the week to relax with no guilt and no resentment. A word of caution. When it's Daddy's night, resist the temptation to step in and take over. If he feeds the kids cereal and forgets to brush their teeth, so be it. Just scrub extra hard tomorrow night.
5) Don't overcommit yourself and your kids. They don't need to be in a new activity every night. And you don't need to volunteer for every committee. Life is hectic enough without trying to raise a black belt, piano prodigy. And store-bought cupcakes look just as authentic as the home baked kind if you put them on your own plate and smear the icing a bit.
After becoming a mom almost three years ago, Carly Cooper noticed many mothers struggling with guilty feelings, unrealistic expectations and the inability to balance it all. This inspired her to become a certified Life Coach for Moms and create www.balance-the-mother-load.com. Check back weekly to read her funny and honest views about the good, the bad and the hormonal sides of motherhood.
Thought that was sweet? You'll enjoy: