Back to School Madness? How to Remain Calm
I love you, but can you please go back to school already?
That’s how parents often feel at the end of August, when the children’s 8-week vacation is coming to an end. Sure, there were camps, swimming sessions, mall outings, beach time, and lots (and lots, and lots) of movies on the tablet to keep them busy much of the time. But still. It all had to be arranged, sometimes on a day-to-day basis. There’s just nothing like school to guarantee you a routine that you can rely on. That’s why back-to-school brings a hopeful light at the end-of-the-summer tunnel for parents.
And yet, as much as back-to-school provides a respite, preparing for it can be more stressful than the summer vacation itself.
For back-to-school, you have to:
- Buy a million school supplies, sometimes in three’s: School, backups to replace lost at school, and home.
- Buy new clothes.
- Organize the backpack (and perhaps buy a new backpack).
- Arrange carpools.
- Start planning extracurricular scheduling.
Meanwhile, you still have your own life. Remember that? Work and/or studies. Breakfast, lunch, and snack foods readily available in the kitchen. Hot dinner on the table every night. Laundry. Bureaucratic matters. And your own projects? Well those will just have to wait until the kids are back. to. school.
3 Ways to Handle Back-to-School Calmly
How can you remain calm with so much to do? Here are three suggestions:
- Breathe. (Oh please. Not breathe again – really?) Sound froo-froo? It’s not. It really works. Try it now even: Whenever something feels stressful, take a long, deep breath. Then, count to 10 and take another 2 deep breaths.
- Make it fun. Think of the big picture. All of the tasks involved are for something positive – your children’s education (hopefully!) So it’s all good. We can involve our children in the process, making it a game for younger ones and just addressing it happily with the older ones. And offering rewards for tasks accomplished never hurts. (Ice cream, anyone?)
- Take time out for you. You don’t have to wait for back-to-school to get in your workout, go out to dinner with your partner, or put in a little extra at work if you want to. Not to mention, you can always benefit from a little spa time.
Some start school in late August, and others September 1st or later. No matter when it happens, by following the above guidelines, we hope you will have an easy – even pleasant – back-to-school preparation period.