This week has felt more like we are preparing to go to war than we are preparing to get back to school. Clothes are everywhere and what we hoped would be an easy walk back into routine has felt like a boot camp we didn’t sign up for.
Between coordinating the upcoming year’s schedule, school orientations, and gathering all the supplies; it’s been nuts. At least if we were going to war, we’d have a commanding officer telling us what to do.
As a single-mom, you quickly learn the importance of your tribe. You value encouragement, deeply respect the support system, and recognize the thread you’re hanging on to is thicker than you think.
I often relate an intense week leading up to something big to the Instapot. You know what’s going on inside, since you prepared all the ingredients, though you still feel like the pressure is never going to release. Finally, something gives and the time for the pressure to release arrives.
Suddenly, what once was anticipation and maybe a little hanger, now culminates into an amazing aroma that fills the room. Sooner than later, you find yourself enjoying what’s in front of you.
A well prepared, fully cooked meal, or a successful start to the school year.
As chaotic as this week has been, Lou and I are prepared to get back into a school routine. We are excited for a new year of learning. We are both confident that this year is going to be amazing.
One thing we learned from sharing our summer adventures with you was that you enjoyed being a part of what we do. My greatest gift is being a mother to Lou, and she has admitted that it is pretty fun being my kid. Who knew?!
We have learned a lot of lessons together, and have overcome many obstacles as a party of two. These takeaways have been valuable to us, and we thought that it would be helpful to share tips, life hacks, and easier ways to do life with you.
At this stage of my life, motherhood is my purpose, and childhood is Lou’s. We hope to bring fresh perspective, relatable truths, and find ways to make things fun during the school year too.
As we count down the hours before our first day of school, Lou and I pulled together a few tips to help everyone keep their cool.
Lou’s 3 tips:
- Don’t stay up past bed time. It’s helpful when we read a book or do a quiet activity instead of watching a show.
- Get the backpack ready with all your supplies. No one wants to be a step behind on the first day of school.
- Ask mom for a massage to calm the back-to-school nerves. “This also helps with growing pains with my fast growing bones!”
Mom’s 3 tips:
- Stock the fridge with breakfast, after school snacks, and dinner supplies. The sporadic eating routine from summer will not be sustainable when you have homework and longer days away from the house during the week.
- Savor this time. Even when you are spending intentional time together, it still goes by quick. Enjoy the chats on the ride to school, keep phones down at dinner, etc. It can be easy to forget our kids spend most of their day at school.
- Get organized. Download the apps, update your planner, make sure you know when the extracurriculars start. The schedule fills up quick, and our students have a life too. It makes everyday easier as the leader of the family when we know who, where, and what we are supposed to do.
Our hope is to continue sharing life’s adventures with you. Despite the summer being over, we feel honored that we get to share a glimpse into our everyday life. May these tips be a starting point for a great school year ahead. We will say a little prayer for you and your student tonight before we go to bed!
Mak & Lou
Mother Daughter Duo
Local Pulse Pensacola
