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Mom’s Breakfast Club: Back-to-School
This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kelloggs.
We’ve only been back to school for a week and a half now, but we’re falling into a familiar routine. It wasn’t too difficult, but we are learning a few things… the hard way. As per usual for our family.
- BigBrother needs a later bedtime. That’s not usually what you hear about back-to-school, is it? Normally everyone is talking about reverting bedtimes back to pre-summer hours. The truth is that we’re pretty standard with bedtimes whether it is dead-winter or mid-summer. As he’s been getting older, he’s been transitioning into a need for slightly less sleep. He’s also not miserable come bedtime hour as he was when he was younger. As such, we’re pushing his bedtime back a bit… which makes for an interesting bedtime for LittleBrother who still needs the earlier bedtime.
- I have to wake up earlier. Ugh. If I wait until BigBrother wakes up between 7:00 and 7:30, I am behind and rushing. If I wake up at 6:30, start the coffee and get some morning email and work out of the way, I can jump in the shower while he is eating and feed LittleBrother who usually wakes up while I’m attempting to shave my legs. Not bad. It’s been an adjustment, but I’m getting used to it.
- Pushing a bigger breakfast. We’re finding out that they’re using much more energy in the morning hours at school. They are starving come lunch. In addition to having oatmeal or cereal in the morning, we’re pushing a banana or a piece of peanut butter toast or some other fruit (melon is SO good right now). I think it’s working. I’ll get back to you on that!
The truth is that we’re doing well. I’m enjoying the “free time” while they’re at school to run errands, work without interruption or just sit on the deck and read. It’s been wonderful. Hooray for back to school!
How has the transition back to school been for you? Tell me in a comment for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift card from BlogHer and Kellogg’s. Be sure to visit the BlogHer.com Kellogg exclusive offers page for more chances to win and don’t forget to read the official rules.
[Disclosure: Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit http://www.loveyourcereal.com.]
Twitter: katie_in_ma
says:
What has made the world of difference to me is now that Gracie is old enough to read a clock. She understands that when I say, “It’s time you were eating breakfast,” or “It’s time to put away the rest of your yogurt and go brush your teeth because it’s quarter-past o’dark-thirty,” I’m not just making it up arbitrarily. Bee is happy to do whatever her big sister is doing, so it’s Win-Win!
What has helped this year is Curious Girl’s announced desire to set her alarm clock for 2 hours before the school bell rings. She was nervous about starting 2nd grade, and she wanted to be on time, so she set the clock earlier than I would have. Having all that time is such a luxury–plenty of time to play a game, read a book, dilly dally, and still be at school on time (7 days and counting!). And that SHE thought of it is the best part.
Last year we made to-do lists (one for upstairs and one for downstairs) and she used those for reference–doing the tasks in any order she wanted to. That helped organize her, too, and I kept track of time.
It’s been fine for us. We’re pretty quiet in the morning, and we eat something quick-like cereal!
kmassman gmail
Twitter: FourAgainstTwo
says:
I drink my chai and know that the quiet is coming at 8:57!
My single best decision was allowing much more time in the morning. I likewise have been getting up earlier and padding the morning routine so that there are 20-30 minutes before we have to leave for my 6yo to read or play. We’re in sync again on the bigger breakfast thing. Cereal and hot cereal are making a fall come back here and I’m enjoying the last of the good summer fruit as well!
My daughter isn’t in school yet sooooooo—-a food always found on our breakfast table is scrambled eggs!
The transition is certainly a challenge,but we are getting used to our schedule!!
We’ve done well with transitioning our grandson into a new school year at a new (for him) school. He picks out clothes for the next day, puts his finished homework in his backpack, decides on a sack lunch or school lunch, and gets to bed at 9:00 on school night. As long as we keep him on track, things go smoothly!
someluckydog at gmail dot com
So far, our transition back to school has run smoothly! We started getting up at normal school time about a week prior to school starting! My daughter is loving school,so getting her up and out the door is pretty easy!! Thank the Lord!
bleatham*at*gmail.com
the person who has had to make the biggest transition during this back to school time is my husband. His shift has him working late and so when he gets home he doesn’t go straight to bed. In the summer when I don’t have to get up before the sun I can stay up with him, but now that the school year is upon us, I barely make it to 10, and some nights he isn’t even home yet. I get up and get the girls up and enjoy time with them and then I am up for the day. He would love for me to come back to bed but I just can’t. It throws my whole day off and I feel like I am sleeping away half of it.
So convincing him that it’s okay if I don’t come back to bed has been….interesting, as it is every year.
It’s hard to get back in the groove as usual.
It’s been ok. We are not morning people…so even going to bed early still isn’t a magic potion for my family.
We try to get everything ready before bed the night before. This helps with morning stress.
We have had an easy transition – my kids are early risers anyway. And they are loving school so far!
Our kids liked school so that made it easier to transition. We made sure bedtimes were in place. We always did everything we could the night before; lunches made, homework done and checked, clothes for next day laid out, etc so there is no rushing in the morning
Wake up early – that way if the feet drag I’m still not late.
This year’s transition went really well. Why? I am not sure, but I am glad it did. And, our usual breakfast table….Pop Tarts, cereal, and blueberry muffins!
scottorbsmith @ gmail dot com
During Summer we let our little girl stay up late, so the first step for us is transitioning back into an earlier bedtime! This helps us!
Tara
giveawayblogs at gmail dot com
Our transition has not been to bad. I get up before my son and get myself ready then when I wake him up I can devote my time to him. (he is 12 and he needs it!)
Actually it wasn’t such a big transition this year. I just send kids earlier to bed couple of weeks before school started.
I have to get up earlier myself!