“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” ~ Henry Ford
Another school year begins. Back to school generally means back to routine. So here’s another chance to make a difference for good in the daily routine of all members of the family. How about this year – we take charge of our lives. Manage our schedules instead of letting them manage us. Make better choices so we can enjoy these days/years with our kids.
For you this might mean setting your alarm earlier in the mornings so you’re less stressed getting kids to school. Here’s hoping for no more (or, at least, less) manic Mondays (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays) haha
Or, maybe your change is simply how you spend the time your kids are at school. Try getting as much work/chores/personal stuff done as you can during school time to free up your evenings and/or weekends for family time.
Last but certainly not least, those evenings. By “evening” we mean the immediately after school time to bedtime. Those few hours can be doozies! If you are anything like us, you may find that the evening hours can become ‘the chaos hours’. Trying to be everywhere you need to be after school, making a healthy supper, making sure the homework is done, and of course, getting the kids to bed at a decent time! It can all be so overwhelming but planning ahead will give a jump start to a more peaceful family life. {Remember: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail} Don’t just survive the day— find ways to thrive! Make a plan and follow through. If whatever you try first doesn’t do the trick, try something else. Think outside the box for ideas/solutions if you have to. Just keep trying until you figure out what works best for your family. Do you need to try adjusting your evening routines to find a better work to play/free time ratio? When is the most conducive time to do homework- right after school or after some time at home to decompress? If you have middle or high school-aged kids, ask what works best for them? Allow them to take on the responsibility of their homework but also have some accountability. It’s important to try to understand your child. Do they need you to stay on them to finish? Or do they soar when you give them the space to take off on their own? And hey… This might sound crazy but, we believe it’s okay for your rules/routines to differ based on the personalities and learning styles of your kids as long as your ground rules and limitations remain consistent.
Maybe making a weekly meal plan or prepping things ahead of time or crockpot meals can make life easier throughout the week is just the thing to try this year… this could apply to breakfast, lunch or dinner- or even snacks like the recipe we’re gonna share with you!
Feels like there tends to be an emphasis put on the evening meal when really… kids are hungry all.the.time. Aaaalways wanting snacks and there’s just something about that afterschool snack that can be extra frustrating. They’re starved but you don’t want to feed them something too heavy because supper isn’t too far off. So a good place to start might be to make a tasty, healthy after-school snack while you listen to their day or just be present with them. The snack needs to give them the fuel they need to be productive in their after school activities and hold them over until suppertime.
Have we got the snack for you?! Peanut butter bites! Some oats to fill you up + everyone’s favorite combo: chocolate and peanut butter! (We know it’s not actually everyone’s fav but roll with it) You can do so many different variations to keep it exciting and even add protein powder to make this recipe a protein ball recipe too!!
Recipe:
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup peanut butter
¾ cup maple syrup
½ cup chocolate chips
Mix everything together until well combined. *measurements are approximate; add more peanut butter or syrup as needed* Refrigerate for a bit to help firm up the mixture. Roll out into 1-tablespoon-sized balls. Store in fridge for 4-5 days or freezer for up to 6 months.
Oopsie, we’re usually done after sharing the recipe, but can’t sign off without also encouraging you to try adjusting bedtimes also. Kids need way more sleep than you might think. We’ll leave you with a nudge to research it for yourself or ask your doctor. But, definitely consider how much rest you and your child(ren) are getting vs how
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