The holidays have come and gone and it’s time to get our kids ready for another semester of school. If you’re wondering how you’ll possibly get your kids back into the hustle and bustle of a normal routine after days of them lounging around in pj’s and vegging out on holiday shows, check out my to-do list!
7 Ways To Get Your Kids Ready For The New Year
#1) First things first – get rid of the candy and baked goods!
I know that your sweet neighbor spent hours over a hot stove mixing that fudge, but its high time for all of us to start cutting back on the sugar. My kids and I have been eating cookies for breakfast, candy canes for lunch and leftover pie for dinner. At night, I toss and turn, dreaming about their teeth rotting and falling out right in front of me. Not to mention, I still need to fit into my work pants come January 6th. Enough is enough. Get it out of the house!
Here’s a tip: I place all of the sweet treats in a nice container and send them to work with my husband. I’ve even dropped them off to my kids’ pediatrician’s office with a nice, “Thanks for all you do….” Mission accomplished.
#2) Eat a vegetable – preferably one that’s not smothered in cream of mushroom soup.
#3) Get those crazies back into a bedtime routine.
During winter break, I don’t know the day of the week, let alone the hour of the day. We have breakfast at 10, lunch at 2, a million snacks in between, and dinner at 9. By 11 pm, I’m wondering why my kids are running around the house like lunatics.
Me: Oh my gosh! It’s way past your bedtime!
Them (with a crazed look in their eye): Bedtime? What is this bedtime you speak of?
Start getting those little darlings up earlier (which means you have to get up earlier…trust me, I know it’s hard). But in the evenings, you can get them to bed earlier and regain that time for yourself! It will make all the difference when school starts.
#4) For the love of their teachers….make. them. read. a. book!
My kids have been spending hours upon hours playing video games and binge-watching their favorite cartoons. And trust me, I feel zero guilt (How else am I supposed to catch up on my own shows? It’s my vacation too!). However, don’t forget how hard you all worked during the first semester to establish reading/homework routines. My kid’s school sent home a backpack full of readers for winter break. We try to read at least one a day. Is it like pulling teeth? Yes. Do I care? No. It is so important to keep the reading up to ensure they don’t lose the gains they’ve made in the past 4 months. Winter break is also a fun time to take trips to your local library!
#5) Clean out their closets and take inventory of their clothes.
There is nothing worse than realizing way too late (like 10 minutes before we need to walk out of the door) that my son has grown 5 inches over the last couple of weeks and his once long pants can now pass off as capris. Get their laundry done, and have them try on their clothes. You’ll have time to restock on any items they need and avoid those pesky wardrobe snafus on that first frantic morning back.
#6) Replenish their school supplies.
I understand that you’ve probably just dropped a lot of cash on Christmas, but chances are, those crayons and glue sticks from August are long gone. And what’s more, their dear sweet teacher (who has also just spent a ton of cash on Christmas) is probably out purchasing new ones for the entire class as we speak. Pick up a box of crayons/pencils, glue sticks, and a box of tissues. Your child’s teacher will think you’re the best mom ever!
#7) Enjoy the family time!
The words below come straight from one of my son’s former teachers. She is passionate about the importance of family time and the positive effects it has on children. She encourages her families to make time spent together a priority!
“Above any and all things….always remember there is no replacement for Mom and Dad. Toys, electronics, games, and gadgets do NOT replace family game time, one on one time together, reading books together. What kids really want is quality time with Mom and Dad. Make sure to make time for that so their bucket is full and ready to go when they return to school.”
Let’s enjoy these last few days of break and get our kids back into shape! You’ve got this, momma!
