How to Get Your Kids Into the Fall Groove

Now that we’ve officially turned the corner into fall, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed when staring down the remainder of the year. While fall is a wonderful time of year with a lot of exciting things to experience, for many of us, these things can feel like adding more to an already full plate. Moms tell us that the fall brings challenges for the family rhythm including their  morning routine, homework routine, and getting the kids to bed on time. All of these things on their own can cause anxiety, but putting them together with other events, activities, and ordinary daily life can make you feel a lack of control. Here are a few ideas to get off to a good start and set up a solid routine your family will be thankful for. 

Plan ahead as much as you can

A lot of times, it’s the last minute running around that causes us the most stress as moms. These are the moments when things are lost or forgotten in the shuffle and leave you feeling deflated and exhausted. While it’s a little more work up front, planning ahead can save you a lot of headache down the road. Start by planning for the following day the night before. Lay out everyone’s clothes, pack up backpacks and lunches, and decide on what your meals will be the next day. This is going to significantly reduce the amount of overwhelm you feel throughout the week.

Delegate, delegate, delegate

It’s a brand new season and your kids are older than they were last year. You can expect more out of them when it comes to helping out. Even your younger kids can help out with some things around the house to make your workload lighter. If you don’t already have your kids helping at home, start by giving them one simple task to complete each day. This might be clearing the table after dinner or emptying the dishwasher in the morning. Once they have a handle on this one task, add another one or maybe a second step. This could be clearing the table after dinner plus loading the dishwasher. Everyone lives in the house together and can help create a home they want to live in. 

Let stuff go

There aren’t any rules that say you have to clear your to-do list every single day. No one will get you in trouble for leaving that basket of laundry unfolded. There isn’t a secret police enforcing laws about hanging fall decorations in a timely manner. You don’t have to try and be a super mom by running yourself ragged trying to do too many things in a day or doing things that don’t bring you joy. All you need to do is your best and to be present for your kids. Also, delegating, like in the previous tip, will help you to get some of those time consuming chores done faster so you can spend more time with your family. 

Have a calendar at a glance

Using a family calendar can help keep everyone organized and on the same page about what the coming days and weeks look like for your family. Not only is this a great way to help keep everyone connected, but it’s also a great way to remind your kids of the fun things they have coming up too. Sometimes kids can feel like they’re just rolling along with what their parents have planned for them. But including their events on the calendar like birthday parties, weekend plans, and having friends over, can help them feel like a larger part of the family unit. 

We hope these ideas help you find a sense of calm and routine as we enjoy the coming fall months!