The Best Back to School Hacks for Parents
If you’re looking for back to school hacks for parents, you’ve come to the right place. This is one of the most stressful times of year for parents. You have school shopping, carpools to arrange, and somehow you have to fit everything into your already busy schedule. It’s not uncommon to feel like you need some back to school hacks to make your life just a bit easier.
We’ve put together a list of our Top 5 back-to-school hacks for parents who are already doing their best to stay organized during the school year. These tips will make you feel like a boss this school year.
Psst: Au Pairs are the #1 back to school hack! Not only can they assist with the driving, doing the kids’ laundry, and caring for any little ones who aren’t in school yet, but they can also support you in adopting these back-to-school hacks for parents.
1. Before & After School Routine
Streamline your morning by creating a routine for the entire family. A regular routine can minimize the stress of getting ready. And as your kids get older, your family routine will become a habit and will lessen the number of things you have to remember each day.
You can get started by downloading our free printable back-to-school morning routine chart! This chart can be posted on the fridge or in your child’s bedroom for an easy reminder.
Your Au Pair can help facilitate your new routine. If your Au Pair is in charge of mornings, you can walk her through what needs to happen in advance. The free printable morning routine chart so your Au Pair has a reminder in writing. Before long, the routine will become her habit, too!
2. Entryway Command Center
Keep track of parent-teacher (or Au Pair-teacher) communications with an entryway command center. Use a magnetic whiteboard to pin important documents. Or, you can install a small shelf and use magazine holders to organize documents. This enables your Au Pair to help you keep track of anything that was sent home with your children.
Use your command center for things like report cards, permission slips, and project due dates. Both parents and Au Pairs can add important dates to a shared Google Calendar so you all get reminders.
3. Homework Time
Homework time doesn’t have to be as stressful as it often is. If your kids struggle to complete their homework each night, creating a clear routine and an organized workspace can help your kids concentrate.
Make homework time a little more appealing by working with your Au Pair to set up a homework station with commonly-needed supplies. You can also create a homework station divider with poster board to give your kids their own private desk space (or encourage your Au Pair to do this if she supervises homework time).
If you want to get really efficient, create an after-school routine just like the morning routine for your kids. A routine clock serves the double-purpose of making it clear when certain things need to be done, as well as helping younger kids learn to tell time.
4. Assembly-Line Lunches
If you have more than one child who needs to take lunch to school, this strategy can really save time. But even if you have just one child, you can use an assembly line to pack your lunch (and your spouses, too).
Many Au Pairs help assemble lunches. Other Au Pairs are just responsible for making sure the kids don’t forget their lunches in the morning. Whichever works for you, work with your Au Pair on the strategy is most effective for your family.
5. Lay Outfits Out in Advance
This doesn’t have to be a nightly task. You can lay outfits out a week in advance. Label a hanging shoe organizer and with the days of the week so your children can easily grab their outfits in the morning.
If your Au Pair helps with the kids’ laundry, this is something they can assist with, too. Alternatively, this is something you can do for your Au Pair to ensure smoother mornings.
6. BONUS: Save Yourself Some Driving Time
When you can’t be in two places at once… you have an Au Pair! Instead of stressing over who will pick up the kids from school, delegate some of the driving to your Au Pair.
You can easily save yourself some driving time by letting your Au Pair help take the kids to and from school and activities. Plus, Au Pairs can be an extra big help if your kids are in sports and have practice at the same time.
Don’t forget to download your free printable!
This free printable back-to-school morning routine chart is really useful for keeping your kids on track in the morning! Download it now & share this post with other parents who could use it.
Ready to implement some of these back-to-school hacks?
Even if you’ve already got the school scramble down-pat, keeping a few back-to-school hacks up your sleeve can be a lifesaver. Work with your Au Pair and other family members to implement some of these hacks.
If you found this post helpful, share the link with your Au Pair!
