By Krystle J Bailey
It is just about time for the kids to go back to school again. The “first day” pictures are about to flood your timeline while emotional moms everywhere send their babies off on the school bus. “Which emotion” is the question! Sad moms, happy moms, relieved moms, stressed moms, overwhelmed moms – you get the picture.
While Pinterest is full of great advice for those incredibly patient and talented “Pinterest Moms,” I wanted to offer some advice for moms like myself who kind of wing it through life. Those of us that lack the “Type A” trait and just hope that loving their kids, doing their best, and just showing up for them is enough. The moms that are okay with being a little bit of a “hot mess” but knowing that your best is enough and we’d lay it all on the line for those babies of ours. You are not alone, momma.
Here are 5 Tips to ease the transition:
1: Amazon Prime is your friend. If you’re anything like me, it’s the end of August and you have not completed school shopping. Okay, I haven’t even started but we will talk about that in Tip #2. So, why not Amazon Prime everything!?
Nothing like shopping on your lunch break and it showing up at your door two days later. Indulge the kids in the process. It’s 2019 with modern day technologies to add convenience to our lives. I have my daughter go on Amazon and create a wish list for herself for birthdays, holidays, and the return of school. It saves us hours of indecision and beating the crowds of other last minute shoppers.
2: Welcome Help. Grandparents, aunts, and other family members love to be a part of these special moments. Let them! Welcome the help that they offer. I told you that I hadn’t started school shopping yet but my mom, who loves to be a part of little moments with her grandkids, picked up 90% of what they need already. It brings her joy and it brings me convenience. It’s a win/win. If they aren’t offering, don’t shy away from asking. For most of us, family is everything and we often don’t even realize that the people we love the most are struggling until they ask for help.
3: Resist the temptation to overschedule. I know that little Suzie down the street plays piano on Mondays, gymnastics on Tuesdays, karate on Wednesdays, and ballet on Friday. I admire little Suzie, her parents, and their schedule tremendously! But I know myself well enough to know that our family can’t keep up with a schedule like that. It’s tempting to book the calendar up quickly when you’re re-aligning your intentions for fall but try to resist the urge and focus on what’s most important for you and your family. The holidays will be here before you know it and you will be plenty overbooked.
4: Don’t compare. YOU were called to be the parent of your children. You, and only you, know what they need and what will serve them best. Accepting that and living in your own “mommy truth” will bring more peace and calm in your home than “keeping up with the Joneses” ever could. As you begin to see everyone share their back to school adventures, celebrate them for who they are and remain true to who you are. You do not need to keep up with anyone in this life, period. Your kids won’t look back and remember the perfect letters on their back to school chalkboard. They will remember the love they felt, the safety they knew they came home to after the first day of school, and the joy they felt in their parents. Do your best and forget the rest.
5: Indulge in conveniences. So maybe you don’t normally hire a house cleaner or use a meal delivery service but listen, back to school is a tough transition for everyone! If it is in your means to indulge, I encourage you to do so. You can’t do it all, you can’t be it all. Let someone else jump in and treat yourself to a little convenience. You deserve it and your spouse and children deserve a relaxed, easy going, happy YOU this back to school season.
However you parent, I celebrate you! There are no rules, there is no game plan. All we’ve got is a heart and some instincts to lead the way. Be kind to yourself as you get ready for the next season of life. Slow down and enjoy what’s right in front of you. These kids don’t stay kids forever! You blinked and here they are – going into the next grade. Stop and soak it all in, as stress free as possible.
Krystle J Bailey is a multimedia journalist, freelance writer, and self published author.
