Simple Back-To-School Morning Routine

School is starting and so is going back to our old "normal". At least for me. Both my kids are going back to in-person learning. But after a year and a half of doing virtual school and me working from home, our established routine will have to undergo yet another change.

I've been thinking about our new routine for a while now because even if I tried my old routine, it would not work as we have undergone more changes during this time. My daughter will still attend the same elementary school as prior to COVID-19 lockdown. But my son will not be attending the same high school. He was accepted in an early college program and the college he will be attending is far from both our home and the schools. And not only that - my husband, who worked 2nd shift for years, now has a new job working during the day. 😲 I am so grateful that he has a new job that allows him to be with us at home in the evening. But it is still another big change we have to get used to.

I've been scouring the Web for ideas from other moms so that I can come up with a routine that will work for my entire family. This is what I came up with:

I know this is probably what works for my own little family, but this is what helped me develop this routine:

• Start the day with God. The first thing I do when I wake up is thank God for everything (the list is looooong!). I keep talking to God while I wash my face, brush my teeth, etc. Then, I sit down in the living room (with my prayer buddy, Dash) to spend time with Him. You have no idea the difference that time with God makes in my life and those around me. "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." - Proverbs 16:3. When you commit your day to Him, everything else falls into place.

• Dress up, even if you work from home. I've started doing this recently and it has changed my attitude for the day. It almost feels like turning on a switch from "coming out of bed" mode to "let's do this!" mode. Not only does it make me feel better, but it helps me establish my routine. even feel more productive.

• Kids have their own routine. This routine is for me, myself and I. As soon as I wake the kids up, they have to follow their own routine. Not only am I teaching them skills needed for the real world, but I am letting them know that we are a team, and their contributions are vital for our success.

• Plan your meals ahead. I try to plan my meals the week before so that I have all the ingredients during prep time. There are also some breakfast ideas that you can prep ahead of time. Like oatmeal, even pancakes! I also like to keep some breakfast items that are quick fixes, even the kids can help with. My kids don't like school lunches, so they ask me to fix them a hot lunch. So when I cook a larger batch the day before, I have leftovers for their lunches.

• Time block your routine, but not down to the minutes. I like to time-block my tasks as it helps me get things done. But I just use a big chunk of time to get some breathing room. For example - If I had planned to make sandwiches for breakfast, but my dog decided to eat the last bread slices (#truestory) and I have to come up with a new menu for lunch. Or you know there will be heavier traffic on a specific day and you need to leave earlier.

• Give yourself some grace. Not every day will be all peaches and cream. Allow yourself to see the small victories in the midst of the chaos. Look at your routine as a to-do list. Check all the ones you were able to accomplish. And rethink those that you notice are not working well. It is not a defeat, it is growth, learning.

You can use the Morning Routine Planner I created.

I always like to have my days planned, but always keep in mind that the Lord is in control. "In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps" - Proverbs 16:9. This takes a load off my shoulders knowing He will take care of those things I can't control.