
Jena Muhr explores her current routines and what needs to change now that the school year has started. What do you need to change in your family's routine?
I’m not sure about where you live, but my family and I are a couple of weeks into being “back at it.” A new school year has started and all of the fall activities have kicked into gear as well. This brings about a rush of new energy and so much to do with it. Some days it has me hanging on for dear life. And other days I feel that I’ve got it handled. But what I have noticed is that it is often the little routines that I do each day that set the tone for the day, affecting the way I handle challenges and look at the day.
Sometimes my routines need a tweak or three with a new season. I kid you not: Each time I think I have things perfectly in place something will change and then it’s back to the drawing board. In my attempts to get on a good footing this school year, I have been trying to go through what is working for us and what is not. I sometimes find it helpful to read other people’s routines, and maybe this can help you work out any kinks in your days.
What is working:
- Starting the morning with prayer in the car. Every morning, we have a 15-minute drive to school. Spending the first few minutes of this time in prayer for the day helps set the tone for the ride and the day.
- No TV during the school week. This is something that we have been doing for the past couple of years — and oh my goodness. What a difference it makes. This was the first year that there were no arguments or tears about this. The kids and I talked a couple of days before the school year started about going back to the no-TV routine and everyone was on board. (This also includes tablets for fun too, I know. I’m mean and no fun.) The results have been amazing! The kids argue less and play with their toys or outside after homework. It’s amazing!
- Waking up extra early, for me. I am an early bird naturally, and during the summer I let myself sleep in until 5 or 5:30 AM — and it was glorious. We had slow mornings, and I was still able to work out before the kids got up for the day. But during the school year, I need to wake up earlier (hello 4:30!) because there is more to do and an earlier deadline. Getting this time for myself makes a world of difference to my patience and lovingness to the whole world all day long.
Fixing the trouble spots:
- Spelling and vocabulary words are something that we had been practicing in the car (in addition to during homework time). This added a lot of stress during last year’s car rides, and I would like to mix this around. I am thinking that we can do a longer practice at night and then skip the morning practice. This will, I hope, allow us to have a ride to school without added stress.
- Homework at sports practices hung me up a bit last year. We would end up doing homework when the kids were supposed to be in bed or scrambling for pencils in the car at each practice. We have three kids and all three have activities after school at least one night per week. Sometimes my husband and I are able to divide and conquer, but sometimes we all go together or one of us is flying solo. On family or solo days at practices I put together a backpack for me with crayons, pencils, scissors, glue sticks ,and a couple of clipboards for the non-practicing kids to get their homework done. I also added a few shelf-stable snacks for grabbing on the go.
- Me going to bed on time. 4:30 AM is an early start time for most people, and I am no exception. It’s hard to go to bed “early” for me sometimes; the house is finally quiet and I can sit and be for a few extra minutes of peace. But if I can make my bedtime 10 to 15 minutes earlier, I think it will help me not be so tired or overindulge in coffee, especially come the end of the week.
The great thing about routines is that you can always try to change things that are not working for you and your family. There are an endless number of ways to get from first thing in the morning to the end of the day. Finding what works for you takes practice, patience, and trial and error. But spending a little bit of time to zoom out and look at how things flow can be a big help in everyday life.
Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.
Copyright 2024 Jena Muhr
Images: Canva
About the Author

Jena Muhr
Jena Muhr is a born and raised Catholic from Southern California. A wife and mom to three littles. she enjoys writing, crafting, cooking, and running all the time. Jena is a supporter of mental health and is working to save the world one run at a time.
Comments