Balancing Back to School
As our summer comes to an end, it finally sets in that the time has come for children to return to school. What does this mean for your family? Some families may be returning to packed schedules, extracurricular activities for their children and ultimately preparing for the next season of life. Our children are growing older, and we may not be able to have as much time with them as we would like. As a mother of 3 young boys, I know that time management is key to having those precious moments with them. So here are some things that you can do to make sure you are prioritizing time for yourself and your family while preparing for a new school year.
- Practice Mindfulness: Start your morning off on the right foot by taking a few minutes to set an intention for your day. How do you plan to show up for yourself and for others throughout the day? What do you plan to accomplish? This will allow you to focus on the day to come.
- Embrace the car rides: Are you finding yourself hauling the kids from one activity to the next? Or just hustling to run errands after a long day? Use that drive time as time to connect with your kids. Check in with them to see how their day went and what they are looking forward to over the next few days. Embrace those car rides when you are riding solo, take this time to jam out to your favorite song or catch up on the latest episode of your favorite podcast.
- Schedule Family Nights: Schedule nights with the family as if it were a doctor’s appointment. Put the technology off to the side and plan a night to connect with one another. Creating a plan together leads to strengthened relationships.
- Give Yourself Grace: Not every day will go as planned and that’s okay. Embrace the good days and embrace the unexpected. Go with the flow and stay present in each moment.
Sending you well wishes as you embark on a new school year! I hope it’s the best one yet!
McCall K., Butler-Gast YMCA and Maple Street YMCA Health & Wellness Director
