PJ’s To School Days :: Back-to-School Hacks

PJ’s To School Days :: Back-to-School Hacks

The Lafayette Mom crew is full of parents whose kiddos are entering into their first-year school journey, seasoned school-parents and somewhere in between. My son will be in first grade this year so I’ve had 2 years (Pre-K and K) of practice to master our morning routines. It’s hard and I am nowhere close to perfecting it – maybe I never will! But, with some help from my friends, it’s made the process way easier!

Here are some tips, tricks and other important information that just may help you:

1. Easy-Peasy Outfit Changes

Mornings always go by so fast when you are trying to hurry but we go from Pj’s to School Days in a jiffy!

So, here’s my secret weapon against morning chaos: Sunday superhero mode! After I’m done with laundry (a daunting task in itself), I set up five outfits for the week – shirts, pants/shorts, socks, and undies – all neatly hanging together in separate ziplock bags. This way, no more hunting for matching stuff in the a.m. Stress-free mornings, here we come!

Quick tip: Get your kiddo in on the action. Teach them to always keep their shoes in the same spot – no more searching for a rogue shoe (been there, done that, not fun)!

Or, just toss a shoe basket by the back door. Trust me, this shoe-saving hack is a game-changer!

Here is a fellow mama’s post about school uniform organization. 

2. Lunchtime and Dinner Prep Made Easy

Honestly, making lunches every single day can get old fast. Solution? Sunday prep-a-palooza! I tackle family meals and our lunches all at once. Talk about a time-saver during the week!

For more lunchtime inspo, check out these posts from Lafayette Mom, Red Stick Mom, and New Orleans Mom:

• Healthier School Lunch Options in the Bag

• Getting Ready for Kindergarten: Lunchtime Practice

• Why I Still Meal Prep As a Work From Home Mom

• Easy Back to School Breakfasts

3. Rock-Solid Routines

Here is the scoop on our routine:

1. Come home and reset for the day – My kid hangs his backpack up, puts his shoes by the back door, washes and refills his water bottle and then is allowed to relax/veg out for about 45 minutes.
2. Homework – After we reset for the day and relax for a little bit, it’s time for homework (if there is any). If not, he helps me cook dinner or is allowed to call his next door neighbor friend William and they play until dinner.
3. Dinnertime – We try to eat at the exact same time each night with the occasional fluke but try to get back on schedule somehow during the evening.
4.  Bath time – After dinner there is some time to relax, watch TV, play video games. He gets a bath, and brushes his teeth at about 8:30pm. This process is done around 9pm.

5. Bedtime – At 9pm, he lays in his bed and is allowed to read books and or watch a Storyline Online video. If you don’t know about Storyline Online, you will love it and so will your kiddos! At 9:30pm we say our goodnights, the lights go off, his Northern lights projector goes on and he sleeps.

Summer’s relaxed vibes got us staying up late, but with school around the corner, we got back on the bedtime train a couple of weeks before. It’s never too late for you to jump on that train too!

More mom wisdom for you:

• The Ultimate Guide To Simplifying The School Year
• Why I Cherish Our Bedtime Routine
• My Favorite Bedtime Hack: Lantern Time!

• Is Bedtime a Battle?

Got your own genius tips? Drop ’em here, and we’ll add ’em to the list! Happy parenting, super-parents! 🌟