I recently wrote about how I was using September to reset and evaluate my goals and set new intentions. I find that setting goals keeps me accountable and gives me focus and drive. After a hectic but enjoyable summer with my kids, I came out of summer feeling a bit flat, and this reset helped give me that motivational kick I needed. One consistent thing was my desire to be more organised, especially when it came to the children. Since Henry started back at school, I have worked hard to create a routine that helps keep the whole family organised so our mornings are less stressful and we don’t get that overwhelmed feeling we became accustomed too before the summer break.
Labelling Everything
In the past, I have made that parental sin of not correctly marking every item that leaves the house for school. The result was many items never made it home, including a pair of PE trainers that cost a small fortune! The things that were successfully labelled were done so using a marker pen, which faded dramatically by the end of the year. This rookie error meant that Henry often brought home items of clothing that didn’t belong to him. On one occasion in the mad dash to leave the house for school, he came downstairs wearing a sweatshirt at least two sizes too small. This lack of organisation often caused us to leave the house late as we scrambled around the house in a mad panic.
This year has started entirely different, and I have used iron-on labels to make sure everything is marked clearly.
Packed Lunches
You may or may not have read my blog post debating packed lunches or school dinners that I wrote a few weeks ago. Since Henry has been back to school, he has opted for packed lunches 99% of the time. Before this year, he has always had school dinners. Personally, I like the simplicity that having a meal at school brings but from year three school meals are no longer free of charge which has resulted in most of Henry’s friends taking in a packed lunch. This has had a huge influence on his choice, but I would be lying if I didn’t tell you it was a task I could do without!
Making a packed lunch is the last thing I need to add to my already manic mornings, so being organised is essential. I pack Henry’s lunchbox the evening before and all I have to do in the morning is quickly make a sandwich. His lunchbox and bottle are both personalised with his name, so it’s easy for him to identify, and there is no risk of someone else having the same ones!
Homework
Henry is at the age where he now has homework to do in the evenings. Often the deadline is a week later, but we have a strict rule that homework is done as soon as he gets home. Once completed, this goes back into his school bag, so there is no risk of forgetting it! He also has reading each evening, and the same rule applies. Once finished, he is free to spend his evening; however, he likes, and there is no risk of forgetting or worrying about things that still need to be done.
The Night Before
Last year the school run was my least favourite part of the day. The morning was utter madness finding uniform, getting breakfast and locating school bags caused my stress levels to soar. Henry would almost always forget something which left me making a trip back to school or apologising profusely to the teacher. This school year is starting different, and as Henry is older, he is now responsible for his own prep which I only assist with. This means the night before Henry lays out his uniform and makes sure his bag is packed and by the door. This gives me the perfect opportunity to sign his reading diary and any letters that have been sent home.
Henry now has his own pencil case and pencils which are personalised with his name. These items give him a sense of independence, and he takes pride in looking after them and packing them each evening.
Making these small changes and being organised in advance leaves our mornings far less rushed. It means we can have a conversation and stops me having a full-on breakdown before 9 am! Of course, it is still early days, and we are only in the first month, but I have seen such a difference in Henry and myself already. Taking the stress and rush out of the situation has meant that Henry’s day starts in the right way, and when he arrives at school, he is focused and ready to begin his schoolwork.
All of the items I have spoken about in this post are from Studio.co.uk and personally I think they are an absolute bargain – especially as they include personalisation and let’s be honest who doesn’t like that personal touch? Studio have also just launched their new app so you can browse their whole collection of items easily from your phone!
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Love as always!
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