Parents guide to surviving the end of the School Year
The end of the school year is a chaotic time for parents, we have our normal every day household and parenting duties and then lots of additional end of year activities. The month of May is full of field trips, field day, concerts, dance performances, sports games and banquets, spirit days, book fairs, end of year testing, awards days, and graduations. Plus there is Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day and in my family we have two birthdays in May. I am exhausted just typing all of this out! I came up with a list of things to help us all make it through the end of the school year with some of our sanity intact!
Keep a calendar of events
I have a paper planner that I live by, but not everyone in my family can see what I have written in there. We have used a dry erase calendar in the past, it was in a spot where everyone could see it. Anyone in the family could add to it and everyone could see what we had going on each day. I know that doesn’t work for everyone but at least for this busy time you should have some type of shared calendar. It could be a digital calendar shared with your family or even a blank paper calendar where you fill in all the information and hang it on the fridge. This will ensure all of the information is in one place, and everyone in your family is on the same page.
Maintain your normal schedule with your kids
I don’t know about you, but at the end of the year I get a little slack with the rules. Maybe my kids have worn me down, or maybe I am just too tired to fight with them. Either way it is important to keep them on their normal schedule. Try to keep bedtime to the same time, and wake-up at the same time. I know with the increase in activities it is not always possible, but if our kids are able to maintain their regular schedule as much as possible, it will make your life easier.
Use incentives to encourage effort and good behavior
Think of some incentives to help encourage your child to finish the year strong. Plan a fun outing on a Friday if you child does their homework all week without you having to ask. Think of something fun to do if your child completes all of their chores, or does extra chores to help out around the house. Maybe they get extra screen time, or a new video game. My girls are avid readers, so a trip to the bookstore is always a great incentive for them. Whatever it is, make sure it is something that will help lighten your load and not add extra to your already busy schedule!
Plan low stress meals
When I am stressed and overwhelmed the first thing to go is cooking, especially when take-out is so convenient. Unfortunately my lack of planning is not the best for our family budget. I try to plan easy meals and put a grocery order in every weekend, so I am set for the week. Even if you don’t meal plan normally, this is a great time of year to try it. Get your family involved in the planning, have each member choose a meal they would like to eat then your not making the plan all on your own. Dust off the old crockpot and plan meals that can be put together in the morning and are ready when you get home from the days activities.
Ask for help
This one is probably the most difficult for me, I hate asking for help. But there is no way I can get it all done by myself. Ask friends about carpooling to and from school or to and from activities. Ask grandparents, aunts and uncles to help with drop off/pick up at rehearsals or practices. Lean on your village to get through this busy time.
Take care of YOU
This is probably the most important tip for busy parents. Make sure you are taking care of you! The end of the school year can be draining, emotionally mentally and physically. Try to do something each day that recharges you. Do 5 minutes of mindfulness, try to do a few yoga poses, take a quick walk outside. I personally take a 2 mile walk each morning, it centers me before the chaos of the day starts and it gets me moving. I am also an avid reader, so I like to find pockets of time throughout my day where I can sneak in a few pages.
Hopefully some of these tips will help you keep your sanity during this busy time of the year. What tips do you have to survive a busy season?