From Morning Routines to Meal Prep: How to Prepare for Back to School Season Without the Stress

Back-to-school season is just around the corner, and you might feel anything but ready. The rush to buy new clothes and school supplies seems to start before you can even pack away all your summer activities, and with kids already getting antsy about the end of summer, it's time to prepare for some new routines.

Even when the summer goes by quicker than you expected, back-to-school prep doesn't have to be stressful. If you take a little time each time to prepare and start with a solid plan, you can begin the new school year with ease, solidifying your routines and systems along the way. Here are our best tips for preparing for back-to-school without the added stress.

Start Your Shopping Early

Picture this: You're browsing the aisles of Target, when all of a sudden, you see the back-to-school display. Before you even get a chance to get out your fireworks for the Fourth of July, you're already overwhelmed with back-to-school deals. Although this may cause some panic on your part (I know it did when I was a middle school teacher!), let it be a reminder that it's never too early to start back-to-school shopping.

You may still be waiting on your child's school supply list before you fully dive into back-to-school shopping, but there are likely other shopping errands you can knock off your list. If your child needs new clothes for school, consider looking around now for any deals on clothing, shoes, and other items you'll need before school starts.

As far as supplies, you may not be able to knock everything off your list yet, but there are some things you know your kid will need — like a new backpack, for example. The things that you know will take longer — like picking out a new outfit for the first day of school or choosing which character they want on their lunchbox — prioritize getting them done sooner so you don't have to worry about it later.

Create a Morning Routine You Can Stick to

The key to a successful beginning of the school year is a good back-to-school routine. Dragging your kids out of bed early when they've been sleeping in all summer isn't always easy, but with a solid plan, you can make the transition a little bit easier for everyone.

If you're wondering where to start, my advice is to be clear on the routine, but make it realistic. If you know your kids struggle to get out of bed in the morning, don't expect that getting up hours early to participate in any kind of activity before drop-off is doable for them. Make the plan clear, but simple.

To keep things stress-free for your kids, allow their morning routine to focus solely on getting ready for the day. Things like brushing their teeth, getting dressed, and eating a healthy breakfast should be included in what's expected of them. But cleaning up their toys or doing any other chores can probably wait until later.

For younger children or children who struggle to stick with a schedule, a visual timer can be a helpful tool. When you say, “We have to leave in 10 minutes,” this gives them a tangible way of knowing how much time they have left. It can be incredibly helpful for neurodivergent kids as well, who may struggle with time blindness or who may easily become fixated on a non-school-related activity.

Afternoon and Night Routines Matter, Too

Your morning routine will only be effective if you have a solid after-school and nighttime routine as well. Without this part, you and your child will be scrambling in the morning to get everything ready.

Here are some simple tips for using the time you have in the afternoon and evening to make mornings stress-free:

Prep Meals Ahead of Time

If you have time to get creative with breakfast in the morning, go for it! But there are many ways to prep simple, easy breakfasts ahead of time so you don't have to cook on those busy school mornings. Whether you choose to prep pancakes, egg muffins, or smoothies, there are infinite possibilities that work well as breakfast before school.

Pack Lunches the Night Before

Whether you choose to pack your child's lunch or they're old enough to pack it themselves, don't wait until the morning to do it. This simple step will make your mornings go by a lot more smoothly. If you're headed off to work during the day, don't forget to pack your lunch as well!

Keep Backpacks, Shoes, and Other Items by the Door

There's going to come a day when your kid shouts at you five minutes before you have to leave because they can't find their homework, water bottle, or other important item. The beginning of the school year is the best time to get into the habit of placing all necessary items by the door so you don't have to search for them in the morning.

Look at the Calendar Together

Does your child have a big project coming up at the end of the month? Is there a school event everyone should be at? No parent wants to find out about those kinds of things last-minute, but kids have a lot on their mind too. Before you get started on homework each day, take the time to look at your child's planner or calendar together to see if there's anything you need to know.

Meal Prep Is Key to Avoiding Dinnertime Stress

We already discussed packing lunches the night before and prepping breakfast, but meal prepping dinner (especially during those first few weeks of school) can also be a lifesaver. There are many ways to meal prep that don't require extravagant ingredients or professional cooking skills.

Keeping things simple and choosing easy-to-plan dishes is the best way to make this sustainable for your family. When you do it right, meal prepping can cut your cooking time down significantly on those busy school nights. This means more time helping with homework, connecting as a family, and taking time to rest after the whirlwind of those first few weeks of school.

At the end of the day, it's also important to be flexible with your meal planning. There's nothing wrong with ordering a pizza because everyone had a long day, or grabbing a frozen meal at the store because you didn't have time to thaw anything. What's most important is that you're helping your family get back into a normal routine, not that you're serving perfect meals every night.

Don't Be Serious All the Time

As you're trying to get everyone back into a routine, it can be easy to focus on all of the things you're trying to juggle at once. But no matter how good your intentions are, your kids are going to pick up on the stress or anxiety you're feeling about the beginning of the school year.

No one could blame you for being on edge — it's a stressful time for parents! But instead of focusing on the stress, try to incorporate some fun times with your kids into your routine as well. This might look like playing a board game together after dinner, riding bikes around the neighborhood after homework is done, or even having a spontaneous dance party when you notice everyone needs a break.

Show Yourself (and Your Kids) Some Grace

With August right around the corner, there's a good chance you can't stop thinking about all the things left to do. And trust me, I know there are a lot. You may not get everything done exactly when you want to, and you might drop the ball once or twice as you're preparing for the back-to-school season.

The best thing you could do to keep your family sane is to offer yourself, your spouse, and your kids some grace. It can really be a stressful time, and things aren't always going to go the way you planned. Try to take time to express gratitude together and focus on the many exciting things everyone has to look forward to this year.

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