Making a list and checking it twice starts at Back to School!

Last post we released on Back To School Planning  was a bit of on introduction on Back To School.  The goal was to help busy, hard working parents like yourself get a head start on the year to increase productivity and decrease stress.

We’ve since had quite a bit of feedback on that post which really brought a lot of inspiration to us for future content. So to continue this thought process and follow through with some of our previous promises, we thought we we get into something a little more specific.

The before and after school routine. Some might think it’s easy to set and keep a routine in the mornings – but with an entrepreneur super mom on our team (Cijaye DePradine) we know that it only LOOKS easy unless you are really on top of your game.

The number one secret to success according to Cijaye is making lists!  She lives by them.  Not just because she has a high functioning A.D.D. but she also has two school aged children and a business to run from the break of dawn onwards.

Without lists — everything can be a distraction!  So, as we said last time….

Don’t forget the little things – make checklists NOW

If you take inventory of all the little things you really do need to do to start your day properly  – it will be that much easier to make them a part of your routine.  And it’s always a great first step to make checklists for them so that they don’t become routinely chaotic for everyone.  For example:

The daily before school schedule may consist of all the dress and hygiene tasks that are an absolute in everyone’s daily lives, but don’t forget to schedule breakfast (it’s the most important meal of the day) even if it’s a glass of OJ or water and some fresh cut fruit or bagels — breakfast is critical.  Along with breakfast you and your child might need to take medications or vitamins.

Have a reminder list and doing this together as a team ensures that everyone is doing it.  PLUS it gives you extra quality time together as a family.

Lastly but certainly not least, a “double check” rule should be in order daily as well.  This “double check”  rule ensures that each and every morning your child takes a look at his or her agenda, books, binders and bag to ensure that they have everything they need for the day. Kids tend to carry more of what they don’t need and less of what they do.

They are often quite forgetful as well.  If they are forced to double check every morning – they will be more on the ball than anyone can hope for, I promise.

TIP: Make a reminder list for this in the evenings so that they know exactly what to look for in the mornings.

The after school schedule is definitely different.  In many homes – the children are HUNGRY as soon as they walk in the door.  If you hire an in-home nanny or sitter for this time, you might want to ask them to prepare light snacks/meals for the kids that will be ready upon their return.

If you don’t have a sitter and your children are not of age to do this on their own – it might be important to schedule yourself to step in here.  If your child is of age, having a list to  remind them which meals are acceptable after school and which are not may be helpful. (Afterall you don’t want your children eating a triple dose of sugar filled cereal mid afternoon – let alone any other time of day).

This way everyone simply goes on about their days and stays focused. Also, although some parents do not believe in chores, many do and in those homes, chores and homework are always a  top priority.  The challenge is putting them in order.  Which comes first in your home is going to be up to you.  But do make sure you schedule the time for each.  It is important.

Finally if your children have after school sports or activities – make plans for this too.  If you must arrange another carpool or two – do that.  If it’s all on you – that’s okay – but just make sure you set your OWN schedule to make room for this. Your children will need to get their uniforms, dressy clothes or costumes on. They may need their water bottles filled and they will always need some sort of healthy snack in them before they go (if not dinner).

A good rule of thumb is to give yourself at least 1.5 hours between the end of your work and the beginning of sports to make it all run smoothly.

Of course this is just a small list of the many things you can do to keep your daily routine in check – but it’s all important.  If you run a home business it’s VITAL.