In an earlier blog, May 26th – School’s out for Summer and so are the kids – I spoke of the busy summer schedule that mom’s maintain when their children are at home for the summer. We love them and we enjoy their summer activities and no homework time, but after 100 days most of us are ready for school to start so we can get back into a routine, find a little breathing room, get the house back in order, and just get our lives organized for a while.
Well, now that it is August, school is getting ready to start. Everywhere you look, the “back to school” banners are on display – the push is on. At the mall they have ramped up for those back to school clothing buys, the grocery stores have added the school supplies aisle, Target and Wal-Mart have dedicated several aisles to “back to school” sales. The list goes on…even traffic is picking up. But we don’t have to be in a frenzy to get our kids “back to school.”
We just need to be organized. Most of my “I need to get organized” moments come with the beginning of the school year. While I’m buying school supplies, I pick up a calendar (academic of course) to help organize the semester at home. It’s just nice to hit the ground running and get the school year off to a great start. Once school begins the volunteering opportunites follow as well as the after school activities, homework, music lessons, sports.
In the middle of this mayhem it’s nice to have a plan for dinner. With the onset of school, schedules change, and we just have to rethink the amount of time we have to prepare dinner, when dinner will be served, or who can even be present for the meal. Many times, because we don’t plan, dinner is lost in the midst of all the activities.
Dinnertime is family time and should not be given up so casually. Children need order and discipline; they need to spend time with their parents and siblings in a nurturing family environment. We are challenged once again to say “no” to busy-ness and “yes” to our family.
With tuition, books, and fees, “back to school” also means back to the budget. Have you gone to the grocery store, spent hundreds of dollars and then gotten home and wondered what could you make for dinner? This is another example of how organization pays off. You can eat better and spend less if you just take a few extra minutes to plan meals for this week, or even this month, you will know what you need saving time and money at the store. And your family will love it!
Take home message - ORGANIZE NOW!
- Plan meals, make a list, go to the grocery store.
- Cook extra and freeze a portion for quick last minute meals.
- Use your slow cooker, start early, and finish strong!
- Grill while the weather is still warm, grilling is easy and saves time.