Setting goals is a good way to stay on track when life throws a lot at you.
A child’s true beginning to the year is when school starts back up. They are getting new classes, new outfits, new friends, and new responsibilities.
What do you do with new beginnings? You make resolutions of course!
Set goals with your children for the new school year. Children do well when they know what is expected of them, and they aren’t handed curve balls every time they come home from an overly stimulated day.
Parents need structure too. A mom’s to-do list fills up quick and it can get stressful if there isn’t a plan in place to accomplish the seemingly unconquerable tasks.
Follow some, or all, of these useful, and practical tips to make the most of this new and exciting school year.
1. Make sure mom is in a good place
I know we just talked about setting goals with your children, but if your head is spinning in circles like something out of a horror movie, it’s hard to properly delegate tasks to your kids.
Author of “Time to Parent”, Julie Morgenstern, is an organization expert and writes:
“The time when you’re raising kids is the prime of your own human development — the peak of your career and relationship-building opportunities. We’ve been taught that parents are supposed to sacrifice those needs for our children. Actually, all that sacrificing undermines your ability to be a great parent. If your not fulfilled, it’s really hard to nurture the fulfillment of your kids. Parenting is about fitting the right combination of things into your life so that you are whole.”
Figure out the top three things you need in a day to stay sane and incorporate that into your master schedule.
The kids may not understand why you ritualistically walk a mile a day while listening to an audiobook, but they will appreciate the best version of yourself that comes from it.
2. Assign daily chores
Kids of all ages benefit from having responsibility around the house.
It doesn’t have to be ten tasks a day, but a couple chores before dinner will remind them that the house doesn’t clean itself.
Redbook reported:
“A recent study suggest that children as young as three who are given age-appropriate tasks to handle around the house are more empathetic and self-reliant.”
There are plenty of things to do around the house, no matter the age, as Mommy Underground has previously reported.
3. Get help with meal prep
Experts agree that when kids are involved in picking out the vegetables for dinner, and in preparing the meal, they are more apt to eat the food.
This is exceptionally great if you have a picky eater. Have each child in charge of a dinner task such as, setting the table, washing the vegetables, or measuring ingredients out.
Redbook reported on the added benefits of meal prep:
“Having little ones measure ingredients and read directions aloud will also help improve basic math and reading skills.”
4. Allot time for play
It’s easy to get lost in all the serious and necessary events on the agenda, and not leave any time for creative expression.
Redbook reported:
“Research shows that creativity is not very inheritable; you’re not born creative or not,” says Amy Eisenmann, early education adviser for the Bay Area Discovery Museum and Center for Childhood Creativity. “Kids develop it through experiences and the people they interact with. Now it’s especially crucial that they do, because most of the jobs in the future will require creative problem-solving abilities.””
So, it is not only good for bonding and stress relief, but by incorporating creative play you are setting your child up for success!
5. Keep a calendar
If you are like most moms, you have a whirlwind of information and worry bombarding your every thought throughout the day.
This makes it incredibly easy to forget important dates and meetings. Hang a calendar up in a common area, like the kitchen, to write down every appointment as it is made.
Use a different color pen for each child so everyone knows what their week looks like, and you don’t have to make the embarrassing call to find out which child you are having that parent-teacher conference for.
Try keeping themed appointments on certain days, like phone appointments on Tuesdays and doctor appointments on Thursdays.
Each morning at breakfast review with your clan what the day entails so everyone is on the same page, and things run as smoothly as can be expected for a busy day with kids.
6. Work with your child
There will be times when your children are just not on board with the day’s events. They may not want to do chores, or really had their heart set on seeing a friend after school when it just didn’t fit into the schedule.
Discuss with your children expectations for everyone in the family, and how you know plans need to be flexible sometimes.
You want to accommodate their desire when they are passionate about something they set their mind to, but that it’s not always realistic.
Incorporate techniques to de-escalate any tantrums you may encounter, as Mommy Underground has previously reported, to have a calm and effective conversation about a solution.
All of these ideas work great when used appropriately. Putting a new plan into action in the midst of chaos can seem like a scene out of Mission: Impossible.
Let me assure you that it is within your super mommy powers to get a daily schedule together that works for you and your family.
Start with one of the above tips and move from there. Each week add a new organizational step, and watch the stress roll away, like water off a duck’s back.
(h/t Mommy Underground)