Back to School, Back to Routine with These Easy Solutions
Gone are the lazy days of summer. It was good while it lasted, but now– it’s back to school and back to routine for kids and parents – so that means early morning wake up calls, fall sports carpools, and homework, homework, homework ugh…. which leaves less time for just about everything else.
Well, moms and dads can handle it all in stride with what we are calling our Parents Back to School Survival Kit. We called in Donna Bozzo our Family Lifestyle and Parenting Expert and Author to give us her tips from tackling your fall routine.
![](https://www.wishtv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/96/2019/08/519D61177DFE41A3900ACB77B155FE9F.jpg?w=900)
Family Dinner Made Easy
Back to schedules means a lot less time for meal prep, but if you are like me— you don’t want to skip homemade meals at dinnertime. Family dinner is priceless in our family. Here is my best tip for maximizing family dinner on a tighter schedule. You’ll know longer dread the 4:00 p.m. question “Mom, what’s for dinner?” Home Chef, one of the leading meal kit companies, is making it more convenient than ever to get a tasty, home-cooked meal on the table.
If you like to plan your meals ahead, you can order online, and if need to grab something quick the same day, you can pop into your local Kroger and pick up a box. Home Chef meal kits come with all of the fresh, pre-portioned ingredients you need to make dinner — and the meals are delicious! Super easy, and very kid-friendly so you can get the whole family involved in making dinner, you’ll find new recipes each week so your kids will never get sick of the same thing. We love the flatbreads and there is always a ton of variety on the menu so you can even cater to your picky eaters!”
Schoolwork On The Fly
Look for little ways to boost the studying this fall and keep the kids learning at home. These are three easy peasy ways. Write their spelling words on their lunch bags for a quick review session on the walk to school. I also love Scrabble tiles for a quick and fun breakfast table spelling word review – good for those tactile learners. Or make – this is fun to do with the kids — a mobile of those math facts to hang above their bed for a little brain boost as they drift off to sleep.
![](https://www.wishtv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/96/2019/08/34B9F049A0FE4B7F946FCCD3E11D4F03-2.jpg?w=900)
Carpools Made Easy
Do carpools make you crazy? Put together a little survival kit to keep you sane as you manage all those pick ups and drop offs. A stocked cooler of drinks and snacks keeps everyone hydrated, not hungry and saves you from spending too much money at the vending machine or snack bar. I also say look for ways to make all the time in the car more fun. Tuck comic books in the back seat flaps or I love this – come with a joke or riddle a day you tape on the dash – the kids all take a turn.
Create A Homework Station
Make homework hour more fun and functional by setting up a homework station. Kids love fun pencils and pens and boost the brainy vibe by serving brain food – bob for apples or serve alphabet soup- playing classical music even create these fun thinking caps with a piece of poster board to encourage brain storms. Even set up a homework hotline with walk talkies – kids can radio you any questions they might have.
![](https://www.wishtv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/96/2019/08/9901C2CB6458474F837F41C44966145B.jpg?w=900)
Breakfast Table Learning
Back to school routine means less time for learning fun at home so this the season for quick on the fly science experiments. Kids will have a blast with these so simple and inexpensive. Put chicken bones in vinegar for bendy fun. Or make a rubber egg by putting an egg in vinegar. Or try this balloon experiment with just a bottle, yeast and a balloon. You can find more of these quick ideas in my book What The Fun?! Available at Barnes & Noble and online at Target and Walmart.
About Donna Bozzo:
Donna Bozzo is a Family Lifestyle Expert who weighs in on television shows across the country showing families how to fold more fun into their days. She’s author of two books, Fidget Busters and What The Fun?! She’s written for Parents Magazine, Family Circle and Scholastic Magazine.
To learn more, visit www.donnabozzo.com.