How do you to prepare for a new school year?

Starting a new school year comes with lots of emotions, lots of activities and lots of things to juggle. With 18 kids between 6 moms, this is a busy and exciting time of year. How do we prepare our kids and ourselves for all that a new school year brings? With grace, organization, tackling one thing at a time, meal prepping and realizing that our presence and steadiness in this time of transition is really what's worth prioritizing. Read on to see how Rebecca makes sure her calendar and meal plan are prepared for her two football playing boys. See how Emiliee organizes the former year's keepsakes for each kid. Hear how Kim tries to pour into each kiddo and how Ashley and Ali keep it all in perspective.

Ashley, Millennial Mom Nutrition Coach from @AshleyBreaksTheCycle

Every year, back-to-school season feels like a goddamn sprint. Between supply lists, shopping, haircuts, squeezing in the last moments of summer, and trying to keep up with regular life, it’s easy to feel like you’re already behind before the year even begins.

But here’s what I’ve learned as a veteran mom of three: it doesn’t all need to be done by day one.

All your kids truly need to start are the basics. The rest? It’ll fall into place over time. The haircuts will happen. The school supply list will eventually get checked off. And your kids? They’ll survive — and probably won’t even notice if everything isn’t perfect on day one. In fact, they care way less than we think. Most of them don’t remember (or care) what they wore after the first day of school. They’re too busy adjusting, reconnecting with friends, and figuring out new routines.

So instead of trying to have it all together, focus on what matters: protecting your energy and savoring the last bit of summer. Because the truth is, the time will pass either way — and your kids will remember the moments you spent with them far more than whether every box on the supply list was checked on September 1.

Ali, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

Preparing for the new school year has evolved for me over the years. I used to be the mom who needed it to be prepared perfectly, but through the years I realized just being present with my kids is the most important.

I was ‘That’ mom who thought my kids needed everything new, perfectly organized, labeled, and ready to go weeks before school started. The amount of anxiety and stress I put on myself was pushed on to my kids. I noticed that as a family while the supplies, schedules, and things were ready; as a family we were emotional wrecks.

Now, I obviously make sure my kids have the school supplies they need to be successful during those first few days, but I don’t stress over the unimportant things. My husband and I try to spend one-on-one time with each kid to hear about their thoughts on the new year, whether it be nervousness, excitement, sadness, and/or happiness.

Cheers to the start of a new school year!

Emilee, Book Aficionado from @The BookClubCart

As a mom of three kids ranging from elementary to middle school; there are quite a few things to juggle. I try to compartmentalize what I have on my to do’s, but once that first week of August hits (our kids go back to school mid-August), my mind starts swirling with back to school prep.

One to-do that I do every year is go through my kids artwork/paperwork that I have saved from the previous year and file it away into their school bins. I find this so helpful before beginning the school year. Each child has one bin that holds school work, art, pictures and birthday cards that are organized by school year. I do not file anything into this bin until the beginning of the next year, because by then, my (and my child’s) attachment is not as emotionally charged as it was the previous year. I have made the commitment that my children are only getting ONE bin of saved paperwork that I will hand to them when they become adults.

As expected, the school year brings the need for new school gear. I am adamant about not buying my kids new backpacks and lunchboxes each year, but sometimes it is needed depending on how hard they were used. However, the new school year also comes with fall sports, and since all three of mine are in soccer, we always need new cleats, shinguards, and whatever else they have grown out of.

There really is something magical about the start of a new year. Whether it be the fresh start or the excitement of a change in routine, I always look forward to what the year has in store for my kids. Although summer is so special and I always feel sad when it comes to a close, the impending fall season brings its own fun and excitement as well.

Kim, Home Connoisseur from @Reverie.and.Root & Founder of Spilling Goodness

A new school year benefits from all types of preparation - emotional preparation, physical preparation and calendar preparation. The prep is half the fun of it! First, I try to pour into my kids a little more leading up to a new school year and through the transition. I try to be more present to be able to hear what's on their minds, what they're worried about or what feels exciting. And, I try to meet them where they are. For my daughter, who started high school this year, she was excited to learn who was in all of her classes and was a little nervous about knowing how to navigate a new school. So, we went to school a day early and walked her schedule so she could walk into day one feeling confident.

Physical preparation - haircuts, a new first day outfit and new shoes are usually on the docket. This year, my youngest picked out new crocs and adorned them with an entire collection of Harry Potter Jibbitz - you do you kiddo! We also clean out closets, make donations and pass along all the outgrown items to neighbors and friends. And, we try to tidy up the mudroom to help everyone get out the door easier.

Lastly, calendar preparations are what keeps me sane. With 3 kids in 6 sports, there is a lot of coordinating carpools, figuring out comings and goings and trying to keep up with all the orientations and open houses. If I read an email with a date in it, I add it to the calendar. Plus, I try to build in something fun for my calendar - this year, on the first Friday of school when I was off of work, I made it to a tile shop and amazing vintage rug store to start a new home project. That filled my bucket and I was excited to see my kids come pick up time.

Jen, Bespoke Travel Designer from @GlobalonDemandTravel

So much juggling!! If someone could look into my mind right now, it would be hard to understand the bouncing from one thing to the next. It is at a whole different level this time of year. So, I try not to think of it all at once. Then, it isn't too overwhelming. I try to focus on the task at hand, but if my mind steers off, I am willing to give myself some grace. It will all get done, I have to trust that it will.

Here is where the skylight calendar shines! I make sure all schedules are uploaded there and I order things the moment I think about it. My daughter needs a new waterbottle- I order it straight away before I forget. Oh wait, my son needs a new lunchbox- done! Don't wait. We are juggling so many things right now, that just take care of it in the moment otherwise, that thought will get buried by 10 more things to do.

Rebecca, Woman's Leadership Coach from @PleasantlyAggressive

When we shift to the school year, and, more importantly, the football season, I need to plan how I’m going to feed everyone at home and at school. It starts with the calendar!

I love owning my own business for the flexibility it provides, but it creates a few challenges. I don’t work 9-5, and I travel a lot, which makes scheduling our family and kids' obligations complicated, and figuring out how to feed everyone is part of that.

With two boys in school and both playing football, I am hyper-focused on all the parent meetings, practices, curriculum nights, games, volunteer responsibilities, etc. I’m old school, so I print out the emails, highlight the dates and events, and then begin the process of adding them to the Google Calendar.

My kids are old enough to keep track of their own stuff, and they’re pretty good at it, so it’s more about me knowing where everyone is or needs to be on a daily basis. Once this is done (well, it’s never really done), I feel more organized and in control of my life! Since I’m the one responsible for feeding the family, I can better meal plan when I know how my work schedule and the kids' schedules align. I hate planning a great meal only to discover everyone grabbed fast food before/after practice. The school year means more meal prepping, grocery shopping, and packing things to go. I enjoy feeding my family, and when I’m organized, I love it even more.

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