It is back to school week! Thanks be to God!!!!! 

I cannot say that my kids share the same excited-ness though. 

With school starting, that means that my Facebook newsfeed has been full of back-to-school photos of little ones in uniforms and new shoes, holding their signs stating what grade they are entering and whatever else those crafty moms add on there. Most of them have a huge, but forced smile spread across their faces.  

But I have also seen my feed flooded with hilarious photos of moms as they send their kids off to load up on the school bus. Some of them show the kids in the background as the mother is literally jumping for joy in front of them. Another was a mom sitting in a pool on a float having a beverage as she waved goodbye. And one shows a mother hopping back into bed and tuning in to a show that I am sure she’s been meaning to watch all summer.  

I will miss the girls, but I am super excited to get back into somewhat of a routine. This summer has been very chill. I know the start of school means that the chaos begins with early mornings, homework, after school activities, sports and a crap ton of forms to be filled out. The kids are surely going to be exhausted (and I will be right there with them) after a couple months of going to sleep late and staying in bed as long as we wanted almost every day.  

I have made a short list of simple things we as parents can do in order to TRY and ensure a seamless transition from summertime to school time.  

1. Establish a routine. Set a time for wake-ups and a goal for leaving the house to get to school on time. I have noticed throughout the years that if I have a morning of rushing around that pretty much sets the tone for the rest of my day. Set a specific time to get homework done. It has worked best for me personally, if I do not require the girls to get their homework finished immediately after getting home. Just like adults, they need some time to unwind. So, I usually allow them an hour or so to relax. Set a time for meals and most importantly bedtime. I know this cannot always be accomplished with some kids having practice, games and other activities, but I try to stick to it as much and as closely as possible.  

2. Managing my time. I am a working mother so, back to school means that I have a stricter schedule and less time to get things accomplished between drop-offs and pick-ups. I literally carry my planner everywhere I go because I know that making a mental note that I have to be somewhere at 2 p.m. next Tuesday is not going to be remembered. I am also making it a goal of mine to keep realistic expectations of what I can get accomplished in one day. I have a bad habit of overloading myself and then wondering why I am so stressed and worn out. (It is self-inflicted!) 

3. Prepare in advance. This has helped me tremendously. Instead of trying to gather school supplies and pick outfits in the mornings. I do all of this before bed. I know at the end of a long day; you just want to lay down and get a few extra minutes of sleep but trust me, your future self will thank you for getting this taken care of the night before. Also, making sure I do not have to stop for gas on the way to school!  

4. Most Importantly, be gentle with your kids…and yourself! Making the adjustment to go back to school can be a rough one for EVERYBODY! Kids have bad days just like adults do. We get in moods, we have attitudes, we lose our temper and are emotional for no reason whatsoever. I feel like we as parents often forget that our kids are human. So, if they come home and they are not in the best headspace, just listen to them and offer advice if needed or let them take a nap. A good nap fixes almost everything. (I may be getting that mixed up with wine, but for the kiddos a nap will have to do.) 

5. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe school year!

(Paige Gurgainers is a mom of three girls, digital journalist for Webster Parish Journal and publisher of Bienville Parish Journal and Claiborne Parish Journal.)