Back to School: What Happens at Home

I work from home, so to say I’ve been on a huge hiatus this summer would be an understatement.  I’ve worked; don’t get me wrong, just not with near as much concentration and certainly with very little consistency.  But, my two little guys head back to school on Monday and that means I will do my best to get back in action.  

My grand plan is to finish a bit of cleaning, get new routines in gear and get my work done during the day while the boys are at school so I can spend time with them when they are home.  The reality will probably be much more chaotic than my simplistic dream.  My kids function really well with schedules, as do most children when given the option, but my kids are absolutely routine-driven.  Each year we set up a plan of attack for the 

new school year and this year we are making some changes. 

We will continue to prepare for breakfast and lunch at school over the weekend so we can shop for any lunches that we will need to purchase.  In the past though, we’ve made clothing decisions on a night-by-night basis.  This year, we’ve decided to go for weekly preparations.  That means that on Sunday afternoon, we are going to choose five outfits and the boys will know what they are wearing and hopefully cut out any confusion in the morning. 

The only other big change that we will be implementing is the boys now have desks in the family room.  They have shelves, cubbies and they will be responsible for their own backpacks, lunch boxes and any homework.  This will give them a place to put their gear each night so again, no confusion in the mornings.  Those are all great ideas and I hope we don’t lose sight of that in a few weeks.

But, what does it mean for mom now that the boys are headed back to school?  I hope to have a cleaner home, a more organized living space, better meals for the family and finally, more consistent, more thought provoking and better overall performance.  Their return also means that I am going to kick off the parental involvement portion of Educate My Alabama.  If you aren’t familiar with this non-profit, please take a look, I’m always open for ideas and suggestions. 

Now, let’s be honest, what’s the first thing on my agenda when my boys get back to school on Monday?  I plan to nap every single day for at least a week.  Then, I may just plan to nap at least 2 days a week after that just to make up for all the lost sleep this summer has brought to me.  Seriously, at what age do the kids learn that summer is for sleeping late?  

This guest post was written by Jerri Ann of Mom~E~Centric.  Jerri Ann is an Internet-junkie who has been writing online since 1999. She has 2 boys, ages 6 and 8, and is married to a man she affectionately calls Boy Genius.  Mom~E~Centric is about learning life, learning how to take the punches and put them in their place. "Landing a punch is not near as important as feeling like you are in the fight."