The beginning of school is always a time of rushing, getting things ready and adjusting to a new routine. For me, as I’m sure for a lot of you, it’s also a time for holding on to your patience as well as your sanity! I have 2 girls in school now, yes I made it. My youngest just started Kindergarden and I am finally at that stage where I have my days to myself! Ah, if only it was that easy!Adjusting to schedules and time takes patience, adjusting to activities after school takes patience and of course, adjusting to homework takes patience!

How do you do it all? So many of us do it on a daily basis so if you have good tips and ideas on how you deal with school, please comment. This is how I have dealt with it and with everything else in life…

Patience!

1. I wake up early enough to give us enough time to get ready in the morning.
2. My girls know their morning routine, put on clothes, eat, brush hair, teeth, put on shoes and go to the bathroom. If and only if they get all done, can they use electronics. I have learned the hard way what happens when electronics are used without being ready.
3. Make sure they are to school early enough to get settled without feeling rushed.
4. After school, we come home, go to the bathroom if needed and do homework. If there is an activity that afternoon, they get dressed for activity, get a snack and then only then electronics go on.
5. Dinner time is at 5pm, bath is at 6pm, nighttime routine includes reading and talking about the day. If time we do a puzzle book or read some more. Both in bed by 7:30.
6. Repeat the next day!

So, how does this relate to patience?

When you and your children are well rested, have enough to eat and know the routine, there is less confusion and hurrying. Trying to hurry a child that doesn’t want to go quick will wipe out all of your patience for the day.  The easiest way to make it through the day is to remember that time keeps going and you go with it.  Leave earlier than you need to, take a break when you need to, remember that if your doing too much or yelling too much, cut back on what your doing. Most importantly, do not judge yourself against anyone else. Do what you need to do, how you need to do it and when you need to do it.

This is how I stay sane.  If it works for you, great!  If not, try your own thing. I’m putting out calming vibes into the universe to remind ourselves that we’ve all got this!  Let’s work together to increase our patience and decrease our frustrations!