NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – ‘Tis the season – for backpacks, buses and new bedtime schedules. Just like kids, parents cope in different ways. According to the folks at Scholastic.com, “With a bit of planning, patience, and calm, you can slowly steer your family from the frolicsome days of sprinklers and monkey bars to the much more structured routines of the school year.”
Here are six ways to stay sane:
Skip the shopping: Hire a babysitter to do your back-to-school supply shopping. Pay them the same rate you would to take care of the kids — and they will be happy to find the best deals for you on fun folders and pencil sharpeners. They will probably enjoy it!
When it comes to uniforms, give yourself another pass. Make sure you have appropriate clothes to get started. Perhaps purchase one brand new ensemble for day one and then take your time to build the entire wardrobe. Right now, the stores are jammed with stressed parents and annoyed kids. Wait a week or two and you’ll have shorter lines — or better yet, order online and have the uniforms delivered to your front door!
Prepare emotionally: Even if your child is a social butterfly, the transition into a new grade with a new teacher and new classmates can cause anxiety. The first week can be especially difficult. A heart-to-heart talk with your youngster can help ease both your minds. Look at a calendar, point out upcoming vacations and remind your child that it usually takes a couple of weeks to get used to new surroundings.
Take the discussion up a notch by going on “date” with your student; head for a nearby coffee shop or park bench. Talking through common concerns will soothe everyone’s nerves. Plan a second date in a week or two.
Sneak in some TLC for yourself: Schedule a massage, a mani-pedi, or a girls/guys night out. Nurture yourself, and you’ll be at full strength, ready to tackle the challenges of the new year. Once the “back-to-school” routine is established, make sure to book a babysitter and go for a bike ride or stroll with your spouse. Remind yourselves of all that you achieved during the summer and map out the year ahead. If an outing is out of the question, try some in-home pampering. With the youngsters now tucked in earlier for school, enjoy that extra time: watch a movie together or enjoy a special cocktail.
Create a calendar for fun: There will be days when the kids don’t want to get dressed for school, sleep-deprived parents are cranky from struggling to find balance — and then car trouble makes everyone late and even more frustrated. Those are the days when the whole family needs a “time out” to remember that there are good times ahead.
Have a special family calendar — visible to all — that’s dedicated to fun: vacations, skate nights, visits from relatives, family movie nights, birthday celebrations, etc. Give every family member permission to add to it as needed. Decorate it with happy photos, silly quotes and artwork your kids bring home from school.
Remember: Don’t sweat the small stuff: And, for the most part, it’s all small stuff. Dealing with classroom drama, trying to keep up with the Joneses and maintaining a happy home is a lot for for the average family. Throw in blended family issues, kids at multiple school locations, and parents with fluctuating job schedules and sanity can seem like an impossible goal. Try to remind yourself every day that you’re doing a good job. Send your kids off to school with a positive quote or a cheerful compliment.
Keep a joke book in the car to be read on the way to school. They may laugh at you and tell you that you’re goofy, but laughter is a wonderful antidote to stress.
Love thy neighbor: There’s a reason for the phrase: “It takes a village.” When you absolutely can’t take it anymore and for whatever reason your spouse can’t help, pick up the phone and call a friend or relative. Other parents will remind you that what you’re feeling is normal, and they might have a solution that you haven’t thought of yet. Friends who are not parents themselves can offer a refreshing perspective of how the other half lives.
Trade babysitting nights once a month with a friend who lives close by so that you can each have some “me” time, even if it’s just to nap!
Some tips taken from this article.