Today is my first post of my "Back to School" Series so welcome and I hope you enjoy the next few weeks. I am going to have a few giveaways and also hope to get everyone ready for the next phase of summer... SCHOOL PREP.
This first post is going to sound about as crazy as when Ben Franklin decided to fly a kit in a lightening storm. I want to talk to all to all of the parents, this is about you first and foremost.
It's about your HABITS and your GOALS. Yes, right now you most likely have about 1 to 2 months before school is back in session. I on the other hand have less than 2 weeks and have been trying to get my habits down and my goals set.
I look forward to a new school year, it's like New Year's Day to me. I start my habits and goals now rather than January 1st. For New Year's, I love the clean slate and look forward to the new adventures of the Numerical Year. I also at the same time look forward to the new adventures in a School Year and I also make goals for myself as a parent. To reach those goals I want to start the habits early in the summer so I am ready to go and to start my goals.
My first goal is to be an early riser. I love to sleep, I could sleep in until noon if I didn't have kids. I did when I was single too, it drove my parents crazy. So about 2 weeks ago, I active tried to rise early. I haven't been successful at times, but I am constantly trying. It helps to take a shower and do a chore for me. I get up shower and then I unload the dishes while my children sleep. It works, I am alert and the dishes are done and it makes the day start so much smoother. I knocked something off my list to do list. It actually helps in my motivation to do more. After I do the dishes then I read a few chapters in a book and after that, the kids are up and going.
This goal of being an early riser is to help our mornings not to be crazy. I want to have enough time for my son and daughter to get up and not feel rushed. My son especially, he as I do likes to go at his own pace. Sometimes he wakes up on his own and the mornings that I have to go and get him up, he is a bear. This goal of me being up earlier, will wake him up earlier to help shake the morning moodiness off.
My second goal is to have a stocked freezer of lunches for my husband. It has been great just making one lunch for one person. If you follow my Instagram account devoted to lunches, you have not seen as many posts or what I have is kind of to me "blah". My husband is simple and leftovers suffice for him. Also, his job is crazy busy so sometimes he doesn't get to eat lunch. When my son goes back to school I will be packing both of them a lunch and also breakfast and a snack for my son. I have been stocking our freezer with Sloppy Joe's, Broccoli and cheddar soup, cooked shredded chicken for quesadillas, and all of my husband's favorites. I will soon have breakfast items in there like waffles, crepes, muffins, and breakfast breads for them both to have.
My Third Goal is to stock up on snack items. If you pay attention, some of the crackers, granola bars and such are on sale. Reason it, it's pool season. You need fun stuff to take to the pool but for me, I see Lunch and snack stuff. I feel these sales can be better than the Back to School stock ups that will happen over the latter part of July. I do like making homemade snack items, but sometimes, especially as a PTO mom I don't have the time.
********Word of Caution******** If you are going to do a stock up and haven't done it before. Get a piece of note book paper or make a print out on your computer. List what you have and how many of that item and write the expiration date of that item next to the number. That way you don't forget about it and use what is set to expire first. Pay attention to this list each week when you plan your lunches so you know if you should make or use your stock.
My Fourth Goal is to make sure I am organized myself. I plan out in my day planner all the days when my son is off or has a half day. Activities for the first few weeks and get it all ready so I am set.
I read somewhere it can take 21 days to form a habit... I am one of the ones that it takes longer. So a good month is what I needed. If you sleep in or something, don't beat yourself up. It's okay, just try again tomorrow. If you have your habits ready to start working towards the goals you set for yourself.
The best part about doing this now, is the first day of school will be relaxed. I will already be use to getting up early and not a cranky mom. I will be smiling and happy for pictures (be prepared, my son is not a picture kid. He will have grump faces on)
I will touch on each of my goals through this series in a more in depth scope as we go through the next few weeks.
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