Don't Let the Return to School Stress You Out!

Colleen Mallette shares tips for keeping to the slower pace of summer even after the school year has begun.

September is the month when young mothers’ lives get really hectic. New school schedules; cranky, tired kids who aren’t used to waking up early; after-school activities to coordinate and remember; homework to help the children keep on top of; besides housework and juggling three meals each day under time crunches.  

It is a challenging time for sure. The memories of summer vacation are already fading from the rear-view mirror, and along with that the relaxed atmosphere of time off. How can we hold onto those feelings and slower pace in the face of returning to school? Here are five tips: 

Having the right attitude is paramount.

Tell yourself you refuse to let anyone or anything get you uptight to the point of getting angry or yelling at your children. Stay calm, take deep breaths, and go easy on everyone. Corrie Ten Boom, survivor of the Holocaust, said, “If the devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy.” Letting yourself get out of sorts because of feeling overwhelmed makes you not the best version of yourself for your family and for you. Keep things in perspective and under control. Remember that this is a phase that will soon be over and enjoy the time as a family while you can. 

Plan ahead as much as possible.

Think about the next day before going to bed, setting out what will be needed to wear or take, or what needs to be thawed for dinner. Use a color-coded calendar to review on Sunday everyone’s activities and driving needs for the week. Prioritize some quality time with each member of the family on different days of the week, so that if one day flies by you don’t feel as guilty. Remember you are just one human being only capable of so much in the limited evening hours; don’t add pressure onto yourself.   

Control your own calendar. 

Don’t allow yourself to feel frazzled and anxious over the full calendar. Break it down into daily or half-day segments and make a list of what needs to be done and what can wait so that things don’t get forgotten and you don’t feel overwhelmed. Knowing you might have a window of time to accomplish something later in the week gives you the freedom to relax and take it off your mental to-do list now. Plus, it’s OK to say “no” once in a while to preserve your family time. You don’t always have to be the Room Mom or Cookie-baking Mom. 

Keep some fun downtime in your weekends.

Don’t let organized activities take over your family’s free time on the weekends. Do a fun thing together after Mass, like getting ice cream or playing putt-putt. Limit homework to Sunday evenings, and friend visits to Saturdays. Let the kids stay up Friday night to play a game or watch a movie, then sleep in on Saturday. 

Pray daily.

It is so important to take time each day to spend with our Lord, even if that means penciling it onto your calendar, waking up five minutes earlier, or hiding in the bathroom. Daily Mass and Rosary or weekly Adoration are lovely, but in the busier times of life it’s OK to talk to God throughout your daily chores and for five minutes at the beginning and end of each day. Reading the CatholicMom Daily Gospel Reflections or praying one decade of the Rosary on the drive to school are quick and easy ways to edify your prayer life when things are tight. These precious moments give you the strength, fortitude, grace and kindness to be the best Mom you can be each day and could be the most important five minutes of your day!   

Click to tweet:
How can we hold onto the relaxed feelings and slower pace of summer in the face of returning to school? #CatholicMom

Copyright 2023 Colleen Mallette
Images: Canva