by Christy Laverty

It’s October and now officially the second month of the new school year.

September was a bit of a whirlwind for me.  I always find back to school time a bit of a chaotic time of year, so much to do and everyone is working to get back into some kind of a routine. Routine is a good thing but boy, oh boy, is it hard to back into the swing of things.

If you are anything like me during the summer I let all sense of routine fly out the window; we eat dinner late, the kids go to bed late, and we get up in the morning late.

When school starts it is a shock to our systems.  To be honest, I am not sure my system has recovered yet.

We are still struggling with the back to school routine but I am happy to say, I think we have only been late for school once this year! Not bad for us!

Here are just five things to help you get into a routine and simple ways to get organized!

1.  Be Organized

This is something I often struggle with. It is so much easier to figure out what you need to do when you actually know what you need to do.

Have a central spot for school notices, backpacks and anything school related. It is also helpful to have a calendar posted with important dates and appointments. I am old-school because I like a paper calendar up where I can see it all in a glance. I mark many appointments in my phone but an in-your-face calendar is easier to keep track of stuff, especially in the morning when I am packing up school lunches.

2.  Be Prepared

This goes hand in hand with being organized. In our house we struggle with this one too.  I find it is easier to get ready in the morning if the kids have clothes, including underwear and socks, picked up the night before. It doesn’t always happen but the idea is there. It is still a work in progress.

Packing the majority of lunches the night before makes mornings easier too! It is important to have the kids get all their school stuff, like homework, home books and library books organized and in their backpacks.  Have permission forms signed the night before too!

3.  Think Ahead, Work Ahead

Marking things down in the calendar is essential if you are going to be successful in this step. It is so much easier to work ahead on things, like birthday parties, school projects for the kids and field trips.

If you know things are coming up then you can start to work toward getting everything you need. There is nothing more stressful I find than scrambling the day of or the morning of an event.

4.  Don’t Do Too Much – Moms this is for you!

I am guilty of this. I try to do it all and let’s face it that just isn’t realistic. There is no way one person can be responsible for everything and get it all done.

Delegate! Get the kids to do some of the work.  Kids can start at an early age setting out clothes, helping to pack their lunches, getting shoes, boots, mitts and scarves ready for when they need them. Kids want to help so let them!

5.  Be Kind To You!

As Moms we tend to get stressed about all the things that need to be done and when we forget something we can be pretty hard on ourselves. It’s that Mom Guilt thing. You know about that right? Of course you do! No stop it! Don’t be so hard on yourself. Be kind to yourself.

You are important and shouldn’t be the last one on your list. Treat yourself well and then you will be in much better shape to help everyone else in your life!

How do you get organized/into a routine?

Christy Laverty is a mother and an editor for a Toronto all news radio station. She also does freelance writing for several parenting magazines. Visit Christy’s blog where she updates the trials, tribulations, and fun of being mom of two beautiful girls.