Getting back into the routine of school can be stressful. These 15 tips can help ease the back-to-school stress and get everyone off on the right foot.
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As a stay at home moms, summers are when we spend more time outdoors. If you have seen my Instagram, we go on daily adventures a lot during the summer.
Yet, getting back into the routine of the school year can be a change for everyone. I have a few things that I do to end the summer and start the transition into the school year.
As a mom, the long list of things to do makes back to school stressful. Buying school supplies, getting doctor forms, paying school fees have you very busy. Figuring out calendars can create a bit of anxiety for everyone.

Checkout these 15 ideas to ease back to school stress.
1. Create a shared family calendar
I use Google’s calendar app to help me manage everyone’s schedules in one location. I love how easy it is to put in place and how useful it is.
I like to sit down at the kitchen counter and block out time to import all the kid’s schedules. I gather everyone’s school schedules, extra curriculum schedules, and any family/church schedules for the year.
I do a bulk import into the Google calendar. When I do the bulk of the year at once, I prefer to use my laptop. I find that it is much faster to do it for all the multiple events that I need to schedule via the online system.
You can get fancy and color code things. But what I do like to do is to set reminders. When I set reminders, everyone gets them.
(Ever experience the nagging moments as a mom?) Consistently reminding people of things. I let Google do it for me. 😉
Lastly, using the shared calendar as a family helps reduce the lost communication. (Ya, know mama’s the phrase “I told you/reminded you blah blah date…)
The convenience of having a family calendar not only helps reduce back-to-school stress. It makes it a whole lot easier when my husband has to travel for work. He can adjust his work schedule around what we have going on.
2. Put Alexa or Google Mini to work
We have a Google mini in our home. I use it as much as possible to help me save time.
Here are a few ways you can use Alexa or Google to help ease your back-to-school stress.
- Ask Google what the weather is outside (be better prepared before you step foot out the house)
- Update you calendar on the go
Having a household of 5 and keeping track of changes to our family schedule can get time-consuming too. I can ask Google what’s on the calendar in the future and have it add a new event.
I can do all this while cooking dinner or helping the kids with homework. Making it hands-free, and I don’t have to log in on my mobile app or laptop to do it.
3. Create & Use a block schedule
Staying productive as a mom and getting everyone out the door is crazy enough. As a stay-at-home mom, I use to create a to-do list and even used an hourly schedule.
I found that a to-do list was stressful and discouraging if I didn’t get it all done.
After I hired a coach, she introduced me to block scheduling, and I haven’t looked back since.
The way I use block scheduling is I do 3-hour chunks. So the things I need to get done will fall into those chunks. That includes travel times for picking up kids, cleaning the house, and working on my blog.
My block schedule is my visual helper. I don’t have this connected to my calendar, though.
When you use a block schedule, you will find that you are more productive. You will also stay more focused. By creating those blocks of time, you work on certain tasks within those time frames. Then switch gears when the next block starts.

4. Make ahead grab and go breakfast
I will be the first to admit I am NOT one of those awesome mamas than can do a month’s worth of meal preps. Or have pre-made frozen meals for the crockpot. But I will have to say breakfast from time to time can be successful. And Instant Pot is often my lifesaver.
On occasion, I will make batches of breakfast items, for example, pancakes. I like to pick a day and make many pancakes that everyone can warm up in the microwave in under 30 seconds.
I like to throw in certain things in the pancakes too. To help ensure my kids are getting certain nutrition. I will shred carrots or another veggie. I will throw in blueberries or Strawberries. At times a protein boost as well.
You can easily do this with muffins or egg muffins with veggies. For me, I think making breakfast ahead is some of the easiest meal preps you can do as a mom.
Once all the breakfast items are done, you just pop them in the freezer.
5. Make a bookbag station
About two years ago, we redid our mudroom. I needed something a bit more functional, especially because we officially now had 3 kids.
We made more room in the mudroom and created more storage. But one of my favorite things we did was add and JONAXEL Frame with mesh baskets.
I designated a basket for each person in the household. It helps organize everyone’s daily needs, such as book bags, purses, laptops, and gear.
It’s a drop-and-go station. It helps reduce the stress of lost book bags and books for school. Everyone can neatly store their stuff out of the way.

6. Get outfits out the night before
When my oldest was younger, I learned the many morning woes of fighting with her to get dressed, forgetting PE clothes, forgetting her sports gear, etc.
After the many morning fights and trying to get out the door on time, I start having her pick out her clothes the night before. We made sure we packed all her clothes/gear for the next day.
I also discovered this very same system helped with those special event days at school. For example, spirit week, sports day, backward day, etc. You know what I am talking about, mama’s those random days the school does fun clothing days.
Nothing like having to pick up a child crying in tears because she didn’t get to participate in a special day. By picking out our clothes the day before, I would double-check the school calendar. Ensuring we got clothes together for what the day called for.
7. Use an “I can do it” visual chart for kids
My oldest daughter has ADD. We were always finding ways to help her with staying on task. Aiding her with things that needed to get done was huge for me. That’s why visual aid was so helpful.
As for my son, he doesn’t have ADD. But loves being proud of his accomplishments when he can mark off what he has done.
In both situations and for many kids alike, having an I can do it chart is helpful and rewarding. They gain a sense of independence, and it makes for less morning yelling.
The visual aid helps them know what they need to do next. Suppose you put in place this chart a week before. It can help them transition into the regular school week when it actually starts.
8. Prepare lunches/snacks the night before
There are two reasons why making lunches the night before works. It’s one of the best things you can do to ease the stress of back to school.

- Pre-made lunches make for an effortless way to get out of the house on time right after breakfast
- I can oversee what is going into my kids lunches. I have had a few one too many snacks and not so much real food experiences in my life time.
Pro tip: Buy snacks and create easy-to-grab snack bins. That way, you can see exactly what needs replacing, and the kids can make their lunch with easy access to the food. This worked well when my daughter was in volleyball. She would need snacks for lunch and then for volleyball practice.
9. Create a charging station
With everyone coming and going. Having a charging station right in the hub of the kitchen can work wonders. There are many different ways you can create a charging station. Currently, I am working on a new setup.
We have the kids all charge the electronics in the same place on the kitchen counter.
But I haven’t decided if I want to change some of the plugs to these cool USB ones. Or make a bigger holder that holds all the phones and tablets in one place.
10. Add indoor plants to your haven
As the school season begins, so does the germs and low quality of air indoors. As the warm summer days turn into fall, your home’s air quality may need some aid.
Besides, why not decorate your home with good for your houseplants. Make your living space more inviting.
When it comes to overcoming stress having house plants can help reduce the back-to-school stress. Plants can increase focus, relaxation, productivity, help reduce stress. A home with plants can help create balance and create happiness.
11. Stock up on essential oils
I am a huge fan of essential oils.
Essential oils are very beneficial for all areas of life. Help your kids deal with back-to-school stress by diffusing essential oils by building up their immunity, stress relief, focus, and concentration during homework time.
Diffusing different blends to help everyone in your home. At the same time, reaping the health benefits.
My favorite quick must-have back-to-school box from Plant Therapy is what I use.
12. Engage in conversation over dinner about school days
Going back to the many tools we have in our toolbox for our ADD daughter. Our psychologist would give us awesome tools to help navigate the waters as parents. Dealing with kids and their emotions is not easy.
Also, being a Christian family, we pray over dinner every day.
Our dinners kind of go like this. Pray and thank the Lord for our blessings and ask him for aid in whatever troubles we are dealing with. Shortly after that, we eat. Throughout dinner, we go through one good thing and one bad thing of the day.
It helps us as parents kind of get a feel for what the kids are dealing with. But also let them know we are there for them. It also enlightens them to know the things we struggle with as parents.
13. Reduce over-stimulation
Starting school again for kids and getting back into a routine is a lot. They are overstimulated with new schedules, teachers, kids, rules, responsibilities, homework, and everything between.
Try to create a home life that allows your children to feel at ease. Change home life as needed. This may mean moving the chore day around. Have a lazy Saturday morning or doing family game night.
Anything that can help reduce the amount of pressure your child may be experiencing. This can also be known as unstructured play.
For us, we like outdoor time for our kids. We take after-dinner walks around the neighborhood. We allow our teen to ride her bike or go to the park.
14. Hug your children more often to help ease back to school stress
I will be the first to admit. More often than not, we as parents can get so involved in the to-do list and getting kids to and fro. Dealing with work stress or all things home life.
We are all moving at the speed of light. Sometimes you will need to slow down and hug. It’s actually proven that hugs have so many health benefits.
But let me let you in on a secret as a regular old mom of a teenager who will be a legal adult soon. If your children are still tiny, hug them as much as you can. They are only a little so long.
15. Have nutritious snacks ready to go right after school
Prepare snacks that the kids can grab before they start their afternoon/evening stuff. Active kids eat all the time. But having kids who are cranky because they are hungry does not make for a fun time.
Help them refuel and fuel their brains with healthy snacks.
That way, they can better attack working on homework.
If your child plays back-to-school sports like mine, they are usually famished and exhausted. Give them a break to relax and eat a snack.
Overall your kiddos should feel that you understand that this is a tough time. You also need to aid yourself with systems that can reduce stress.
Do you have things you like to do to help ease back to school? Could you share them in the comments below? I am always looking for other cool ways to make mom’s life easier.