4 Tips to Tackle the New School Routine as a Working Mom
It’s official - we’re in Kindergarten! Well my daughter to be exact, but it sure felt like we all started school with her last week. The struggle is real! The change in schedule has been hard for all of us, but here are my 4 biggest tips to survive the new schedule and challenges that comes with it as a working mom.
NIGHT ROUTINE
They are going to be tired. Those first few days are going to weigh on all of you. So everyone needs a good night’s rest. If you don’t already have a night routine, then now is the time to grind one out. Dinner, baths, books and bedtime all should be a part of the routine and no surprise to anyone.
TIP: Create a “Nighttime Routine Clock” to help guide your nights. It’s not worth the fight! Just blame it on the clock.
MORNING ROUTINE
Just like your nighttime routine, a morning routine will save you some of the stress of making it out the door on time. And if you have multiple drop offs in the morning like we do, it’s essential to leave at the same time (while also not being too late to work). If your kids wake up a little groggy in the morning, make sure to give them a little extra time to wake up before the rush, rush, rush out the door. We watch a little tv in our pjs while I make breakfast, and then it’s time to eat, get dressed, brush teeth, and leave for school.
TIP: If you’re having a hard time keeping everyone on track, consider using a timer or ask Alexa to help you!
SCHOOL DROP OFF
This has been a hard one. Tears for all of us, but again a new routine takes about 2 weeks to get used to so you just need to hang tight. If your little one cries at school drop off, there are a few things you can do to make it easier. In your downtime make sure you talk about school in a positive way with them and focus on all of the fun activities that are coming up the next day. It gets them focused on the goal ahead and it won’t come as such a surprise the next morning.
TIP: Find a fun incentive that they can look forward to at drop off. We bought sticker packs and every morning my daughter gets to pick out a new sheet and take it with her to share with her friends in class.
JOB SCHEDULE
If you have a chance to sit down with your employer, let them know what’s coming in the first few weeks of school. It’s difficult to know just what the mornings will entail: from tantrums to traffic jams. There’s nothing you can do about it but being upfront will help ease any concerns they may have about your punctuality.
TIP: Finding a flexible job is essential for a working mom. I recently wrote a blog, “3 Red Flags When Job Hunting as a Mom,” which highlights the biggest red flags to look out for when interviewing.
