Relationships Archives - Page 2 of 47

There are a ton of articles out there giving you tips to get your kids ready for school. You can find some of them right here on DIY Adulation. However, there are things that moms need to do to get ready for the school year that aren’t about the kiddos. That’s why I’m sharing mom’s back to school to-do list with you.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Mom’s back to school to-do list is exactly what busy moms need to prepare for the school year from updating the budget to organizing your day!” username=”diyadulation”]

Mom’s back to school to-do list focuses on all of those things that we often forget about during the craziness of back to school. Is your monthly budget updated for the school year? Have you worked out what your day looks like while the kids are school? These are the things that aren’t covered with tips for preparing your kiddos.

They’re still totally important parts of getting ready for the upcoming school year, though. Make your life easy with this list of the often overlooked details that moms need to get ready for anything the school year can throw at you. You owe it to yourself to make the transition as easy on you as you make it for the kiddos.

1. Prep Your Finances for Back to School

Back to school comes with extra costs that aren’t in your summer budget. It’s important to start planning for those expenses in your budget now. I also recommend keeping some of the school money budget in cash. There’s nothing worse than finding out right before school that your child needs money for something and not having the cash on hand. Here are a few school expenses to consider when planning your monthly budget.

Dances
Book Fairs
Field Trips
Teacher Gifts
Class Parties
Fund Raisers
Sports and Activities

2. Grab Your New Planner

I’m a huge fan of refreshing your planner when school starts. Your kiddos are getting their new planners and your daily schedule is getting a major overhaul from summer. A fresh planner makes the whole process easier and helps you get excited to tackle your day’s organization. I love the Big Happy Planner because it’s so easy to customize with the sections that I need to keep our whole family organized.

3. Create Your Meal Plan

Speaking of getting your new planner squared away, now is the time to start planning your meals for the busy school year. Prepare easy breakfasts kids can make themselves in the morning and freeze sandwiches for easy lunch packing. Don’t forget about yourself too, especially if all of your kids will be in school this year. Prep your meals for the week and set an alarm to remember to eat. Without kiddos constantly requesting snacks and meals, it’s easy to lose track of time and forget to eat during the day.

4. Purge Kid’s Clothes

Before you go shopping for back to school clothes, you want to have a clear idea of what your kids actually need. Purging clothes that are in poor condition and that no longer fit them is the easiest way to do this. Take some time before the summer ends to sift through every piece of clothing and donate the ones that are still in good condition but don’t fit. Not only does this help you get organized, it will also save you money when you go shopping.

This is also the perfect time to separate school clothing from play clothing. I like to keep a drawer designated for play clothes so that the kids can easily find outfits to wear outside after school. This can be a great way to reuse those clothes that still fit but aren’t in good enough condition to wear to school.

5. Plan Your New Routine

Whether all of your kiddos will be in school or you’ll still have little ones at home, your daily routine changes drastically from summer vacation to the school year. Grab a daily planner (you only need one sheet) and sketch a rough idea of what your day will look like. Don’t worry if this changes once you get into the swing of the school year. This simply gives you a map to your days when you pull out your planner.

6. Review the School Calendar

It’s easy to get caught up in the back to school craziness and forget that life still continues outside of school. Review the school calendar and put it in your planner now. This makes scheduling the holidays and any vacations so much easier later on. You also want to make note of any administrative and one-off days that the kids don’t have school during the year.

7. Think About You

Another thing that moms forget about during the school year is taking care of themselves. I’m totally guilty of this. Summer runs me ragged between vacations, activities, holidays, and the insanity that comes from having 3 kiddos at home during the day. It’s easy to let self-care slide during the summer months. School starting is the perfect opportunity to make self-care a priority again. Make it even easier on yourself and schedule weekly self-care in your planner. Scheduling it makes you more likely to follow through on it.

Find tons of tips about taking care of yourself in the series How to Rediscover Yourself After Marriage and Motherhood.

8. Create a Paper System Now

The school year means it’s time to get prepared for an onslaught of papers. Get a system in place now that makes corralling it all a breeze. I recommend having at least 2 different baskets. One for papers that need mom’s attention right away. This is for permission slips, order forms, and anything else that needs action from mom. The second basket is for all of the items that they want to share with you. My kiddos love showing me their artwork, great test scores, etcetera. Unfortunately, my schedule isn’t always conducive to a 30-page paper viewing right after school. The second basket lets the kids clean out their folder and prepare their bags for the next day without my immediate attention. Then when I have a moment, we can go through the papers together when I can give them my full attention.

9. Prep a Car Bag

As kids get more involved in sports and other activities, there will more and more time that you spend in the car. Be ready with a car bag stocked with items you need in a pinch. Items to include in your car bag:

Snacks
Baby Wipes
Empty Plastic Bags
Cash
Extra Clothes for the Kiddos
Empty Water Bottles
Time and Heat Resistant Snacks (Think nuts, granola, jerky)

10. Label Everything

Don’t put it off until the last minute. Instead, take the time now to label everything. I love my label maker for labeling things like lunch containers, school supplies, and water bottles but you also want label coats, jackets, and backpacks too. For these items a permanent marker works just fine. Again, don’t put this off. There is so much to label especially as you get more kiddos in school. Get started now to avoid a mad labeling dash the night before school starts.

Mom’s back to school to-do list is exactly what busy moms need to prepare for the school year transition. It helps you effectively plan your new routine, update your budget, and generally make your daily life so much easier. I think we can all use a little more easy in our lives. Make your life even easier with the awesome back to school planner available to monthly printable bundle subscribers! Learn more right here!

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

More Ideas You’ll Love:

Capture Memories with DIY School Year Journals
Easy Homemade After School Snack Ideas
Awesome Back to School Style Ideas: DIY Edition
First Day Teacher’s Survival Kit – Cookies, Coffee, and Crafts

Got a Disney trip coming up? If so, give yourself a little peace of mind with these free printable “Call Mom” safety cards for kids. They make sure your phone number is always close if your kiddos need it for any reason at all during your trip! Check out the additional safety tips for your little one’s safety while you’re here too.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Stress less on your next trip! Give yourself a peace of mind and your kiddos a helpful tool with these free printable “Call Mom” safety cards for kids.” username=”diyadulation”]

Losing a child, even for a few minutes is a terrifying experience as a mom. I have totally been there and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Before we get to the tutorial, it’s important to know that these are a last resort in safety, especially for younger kids who are having difficulty remembering your phone number. It’s important to always talk to your kiddos about the rules and expectations for crowded places.

Things to Talk About with Your Kids:

Talk about what the appropriate distance is that they can be from you. Then be sure to practice that distance repeatedly before your trip. This helps the kids get a representation about what that distance actually looks like and remember it.
You also want to talk about who the appropriate people are for your child to go to if they do get lost. What do these people dress like and discuss any additional features/accessories to look for.
Lastly, make sure you discuss safety tactics for if someone, Heaven forbid, would try to take your kid. For example, they should start yelling “Fire” to get people’s attention and they should kick, scream, fight and make it as difficult as possible for the abductor. Most abductors who try to take children from public want a child they can take quickly an easily.

“Call Mom” Safety Cards Materials

Step 1

First, warm up your laminating machine so that it’s ready.

Step 2

Then print out your call mom safety cards.

Step 3

Next cut out each of your cards using a paper cutter.

Step 4

Once your cards are cut out, write your phone number on the number of cards you need. (In case you’re curious, nope, that’s not my number. Sorry. I’m sure you’re heartbroken.)

Tip:

I didn’t put my name on these because I don’t want someone to get their hands on one of these and claim that they know/were sent by me to my kiddos.

Step 5

Then open up a laminating envelope and place your cards inside. Be sure to leave space between each card to allow for them to seal all the way around.

Step 6

Next, run your laminating envelope with the cards inside through your lamination machine.

Step 7

After your cards are laminated, cut them apart using scissors.

How to Use:

At the start of each day, place the cards inside your kiddos shoes. If at any point they become separated from you or lost, they can pull out this card and give the appropriate authorities/workers your number to call. The shoe ensures it doesn’t get lost throughout the day and the lamination protects it from sweaty or wet feet.

You also want to work with your kids early and often on learning basics like your phone number, first and last name, and home address. Of course, my oldest has a cell phone and has already forgotten my phone number so this might be necessary for older kids and pre-teens too.

These free printable “Call Mom” safety cards for kids are such a useful resource for moms. In addition to giving kids a contact in case they get lost or separated from you in busy locations, they are great for when you travel to unfamiliar locations too. For example, just checking out a new city on vacation or stopping at a Target on the way to the beach for sunscreen. It’s simply an easy tool to give you some peace of mind.

See where I’m linking up!