Breaking out of summer habits and getting back into the routine of school can be stressful for any family – but this period of time can be especially difficult for parents who are dealing with their own health challenges. We asked real mamas living with chronic illnesses to share their best tips and hacks for staying organized and managing back to school stress, while also taking care of their own health.
Back to School Shopping
“Order everything online! I only let my kids…pick out one new thing (usually a pencil bag or something) as they reuse their bags for several years. Then the rest gets ordered from Target, Amazon, etc.” – Stephanie
The importance of routine!
“We start our school routine 2 weeks before school actually starts so we can work out any kinks. Lay out clothes the night before, bed on time, wake up and get ready like we’re going to school, walk to school, and then play at the playground for a bit.” – Christina
“In the mornings, I set my alarm for 30 minutes before my kids wake up. I take my pain medication and use my heating pad so I’m ready to hit the ground running when the kids get up.” – Lauren
“Routine, routine, routine. When we got off the routine we were all stressed and couldn’t find anything.” – Heather
In and Out The Door
“I leave shoes in the car and they put them on after they buckle up. We also keep hair bows and a comb and detangler in the pocket behind the driver seat for my 2-year-old, who will rip bows out in the car so we don’t even attempt doing hair until we get out of the car at the school.” – Lisa
“I unpack backpacks and lunches immediately upon walking in the door. We have a designated drop spot for all their stuff right by the entry so I’m not searching for items around the house.” – Lauren
Managing Homework, Extracurriculars, & Chores
“Get all of your school logins and paperwork ready and done ahead of time if possible. If your kids’ online school portals have apps, set up notifications and use them – saves us on homework deadlines! There is a lot of school planning you can do from a resting position if necessary!” – Tera
“I’m going to attempt to set reminders on my phone. I have 5 kids from 15 years to 14 months. All of my kids are very involved with marching band, robotics, baseball, and taekwondo.” – Kayla
“I use a calendar app called Cozi to schedule everything and it gets printed monthly on the fridge. If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t happen.” – Tera
“We’ve given the kids some new responsibilities and they’re in a chart written right on the refrigerator with dry erase markers. Smiley faces for successfully completing their responsibilities. Three good weeks equals a friend over or a book at the store.” – Jennifer
Managing Meals
“Enlist everyone at home to help with lunches (parents and kids.)” – Tera
“I always meal plan in advance because quite frankly I can’t get home from a full-time job, pick up kids, and still have the brain power to figure out dinner. I also used a grocery store pick-up for the first time this week and it was AH-MAZING!! It was so simple and saved me the chaos and stress of the store.” – Jennifer
“I meal plan and order groceries for the entire week at once. I plan for two meals of leftovers. My kids’ packed lunches are even included on my weekly schedule. Since I stay at home, I prep as much of dinner during the day so I’m not trying to cook during the craziness of the after school activity hours.” – Lauren
Think Outside the Box
“Honestly, the best thing for my family has been switching to free, public online school! So many of the things from traditional school that caused our family stress have been completely eliminated…Can it be scary to switch from what’s considered the norm to something that’s unknown? Of course! But it’s also exciting, and it’s never permanent. If it doesn’t work for your child, you can go back to traditional school.” – Amy
“Ditch perfection, outsource what you can, lean on your friends and family for support!” – Deepa
Our private Facebook group is a treasure trove of advice and encouragement, where real moms living with chronic illnesses brainstorm together and share their hard-earned advice and knowledge. But often the same questions come up in the group over and over again, and a lot of great advice gets buried in our archives! Our “Mama Knows Best” series seeks to organize some of that advice, making it easier for future mamas to find!
