| It is hard to believe that summer is coming | | | | morning.Save your used yogurt containers and |
| to a close, but the fall and school season is | | | | refill these with the boxed pudding or Jello |
| fast approaching. Our son will be beginning | | | | that you can make large batches of for a |
| his first year of preschool this year and we | | | | fraction of the cost or refill them with |
| are both excited and nervous. How nice it has | | | | yogurt from larger and less expensive |
| been to not be on a schedule and to be able | | | | containers. Instead of purchasing juice |
| to lounge around in our pajamas, yet at the | | | | boxes or individual milks, fill a thermos |
| same time I am looking forward to having some | | | | with the drink of your choice. For younger |
| time on my hands to tackle those projects | | | | children you can dilute the juice so that |
| that have been looming before me all summer | | | | they are not getting too many empty calories. |
| long.I remember the hectic mornings of my | | | | Be fun and creative with lunches and a little |
| youth with three children in our parent's | | | | note to your child (or your husband for that |
| house. I remember the constant fight over the | | | | matter) will really make their day and remind |
| bathroom, the rushed breakfast, our poor mom | | | | them of how special they are to you. By |
| driving us to school every single day, and | | | | preparing these meals the night before, you |
| the frantic sense of urgency that we all had | | | | will save yourself some time in the |
| to get to where we need to be. I hope that | | | | morning.With that being said, don't forget to |
| with a few of these organizational tips that | | | | offer your child a healthy breakfast in the |
| you can avoid those hectic mornings and be | | | | morning. It is proven that children perform |
| able to really sit down and enjoy that cup of | | | | better on tests and have less health problems |
| coffee before your hurried day begins. Here | | | | later in their life if their day is started |
| are a few of my ideas for staying organized | | | | with a healthy breakfast. Have a variety of |
| during a more stressful part of your day.Plan | | | | foods on hand such as fruits, whole grain |
| AheadMuch of the stress in our lives can be | | | | cereals, whole grain bagels, and other |
| avoided if we can plan ahead and this is the | | | | healthy foods on hand that your child can |
| case with returning to school. Usually the | | | | prepare for themselves.For the more motivated |
| teachers send home with your children a list | | | | mother, you could even prepare large batches |
| for what will be needed for the next school | | | | of French toast, waffles, or pancakes and |
| year and it is important to get all of the | | | | then freeze them in individual portions for |
| required items as well as several back-ups | | | | your child to zap in the microwave in the |
| for later during the year. Take advantage of | | | | morning. I like to do this on Saturday |
| all of those back to school sales with the | | | | mornings when I have more time on my hands to |
| huge bins of notebooks, loose leaf paper, and | | | | really prepare a nice morning brunch and just |
| pencils and stock up. Designate a spot in | | | | make tons of extras for those days during the |
| your home, which is accessible to the | | | | week when I have less time.Preset your table |
| children, for storing all of your back up | | | | with silverware, bowls, and plates the night |
| supplies. Be sure to check your local dollar | | | | before. Place cereal and other breakfast |
| store as well for the pricier items that your | | | | items on the table where they are accessible |
| child will need in order to get started for | | | | to your child to help prepare their breakfast |
| the year. You will be very grateful when the | | | | in the morning. Also make sure that your |
| spring rolls around and you do not have to | | | | dishwasher is empty the night before so that |
| make another trip to the store and pay higher | | | | you can immediately move breakfast dishes to |
| prices for the same items later in the | | | | the dishwasher avoiding a sink full of dishes |
| year.Next, label, label, label. Everything | | | | to come home to after your busy |
| will need to have your child's name on it and | | | | morning.Papers, Papers, and More PapersThe |
| you will be glad that you labeled your | | | | beauty of your children's craft projects from |
| child's items when another child accidentally | | | | school will wear off if you are saving every |
| brings them home with them. You can write | | | | single picture and drawing that they have |
| your child's name in permanent marker on | | | | done. Save yourself the loads of clutter by |
| belongings such as backpacks, lunch boxes, | | | | allowing your child to help you pick their |
| gym shoes, and other fabric items. For | | | | most favorite projects for saving. Invest in |
| notebooks, pencil totes, and books it might | | | | a couple of inexpensive frames for their |
| be a good investment to purchase a | | | | bedroom and reframe these periodically with |
| self-stamping rubber stamp with their | | | | their beautiful artwork or choose one picture |
| information on it or purchase address labels. | | | | for the refrigerator or front of one of your |
| A good place that I have found to get these | | | | cupboards for saving. By allowing your child |
| is and they offer a wide selection in | | | | to help you choose, they learn the importance |
| different styles and fonts.Be sure not to | | | | of weeding out paperwork.It is also smart to |
| miss the child's Back to School night and | | | | create an area in your file cabinet or a |
| introduce yourself to their teacher. Be | | | | plastic file crate for your child's papers |
| involved in any capacity that you can whether | | | | and report cards. Have them help you with |
| it is room mother, volunteer teacher, or just | | | | labeling the folders or decorating them with |
| to help on those field trips. Not only will | | | | stickers that they have chosen. This will |
| your child be grateful, but you can establish | | | | give them a sense of ownership of their work |
| a relationship with the teacher and open the | | | | and also teach them the importance of filing |
| doors of communication. Remember that if you | | | | their own papers.As a parent, your child will |
| do not have a wonderful first impression of | | | | be bringing home lots of papers that require |
| the teacher to reserve this information when | | | | your reading or signature. Designate a spot |
| you are around your child. Your negativity | | | | in your home for an inbox and outbox for |
| can rub off on them and immediately start the | | | | these papers. Label them clearly for your |
| year off on the wrong foot.Clothes Wars & | | | | child and instruct them to unload their |
| Other BattlesAround the age of two or three | | | | papers into the inbox. It also helps if you |
| you will start to see your child developing | | | | can create a box for them for their own room |
| their own opinions on what looks good and | | | | where they can put their own homework in that |
| what does not. Maybe looking like a "fashion | | | | they need to do for the evening.For papers |
| don't" isn't of any concern to them, but it | | | | such as emergency contact sheets, permission |
| might be a concern to you on your child's | | | | slips, and immunization records which come up |
| picture day. It can be a true battle of | | | | frequently during the school year for field |
| wills, but there are ways to help your child | | | | trips and sports, it is a good idea to invest |
| choose their own clothing with your | | | | in photocopying these documents and keeping |
| help.Invest in a five compartment sweater | | | | them in a file for yourself so that you don't |
| organizer and use the top one for Monday, the | | | | have to constantly be signing and writing the |
| second one for Tuesday, and so on. On Sunday | | | | same things over and over again.When you get |
| evening have your child help you plan the | | | | papers on bake sales, field trips, and other |
| clothing for the week. Preset everything down | | | | school events, be sure to immediately |
| to underwear, socks, barrettes, whatever you | | | | transfer these dates onto a calendar. If you |
| can do to help make their morning easier.For | | | | have more than one child's events to attend, |
| younger kids, preset their combs, brushes, | | | | assign each child and family member a color |
| toothbrush, towel, and toothpaste so that | | | | for their events. It will make it easier to |
| they can quickly get ready in the morning | | | | see that it is Susie's concert that you need |
| without you getting everything out for | | | | to attend and not Billy's. Buy a calendar |
| them.Be sure to have purses, briefcases, | | | | that has plenty of room in it for all of your |
| coats, and backpacks waiting at the door | | | | information and by immediately putting this |
| ready to go for you so that you don't have to | | | | on your calendar in a neat and organized way, |
| rush around getting everything together in | | | | you will have less chance of missing those |
| the morning. You will be grateful when you | | | | important events. Consult your calendar first |
| don't have to spend twenty minutes looking | | | | thing in the morning so that you know exactly |
| for that one paper or your keys when you are | | | | what you need to do for the day.A+ WorkDon't |
| already rushed to get to where you need to | | | | forget to set aside some time in the evening |
| go.MealsMuch can be said about meal planning | | | | for your child to work on their homework. By |
| not only for your hectic morning, but also | | | | setting aside time in the evening you will |
| lunch preparation can be particularly | | | | not have to be trying to complete homework |
| cumbersome when you are trying to get your | | | | pages first thing in the morning. Take the |
| children to school on time. The supermarkets | | | | time to check your child's work and discuss |
| offer a variety of food that is both | | | | their homework with them. If you have no idea |
| unhealthy and pricey, catering to the harried | | | | what they are doing, bluff your way through |
| parent who doesn't think that they have time | | | | it or run over to the internet and see if you |
| to be creative. You will waste a lot of your | | | | can figure it out. Trust me, our parent's |
| money by buying these convenience and | | | | did it- we just really believed them.Now you |
| individually sized items.Instead of buying | | | | truly can enjoy that cup of coffee, your |
| these, look for foods that are nutritious and | | | | morning paper, and your smooth morning.Amy |
| which will offer your child the nutrients | | | | Allen Clark is a stay-at-home mother of a two |
| they need for energy to get through their | | | | year old son. She is founder and creator of |
| school day. Buy large packages of crackers, | | | | Her web site is geared towards mothers who |
| cheese, milk or juice, carrots, celery, and | | | | are seeking advice on staying organized, |
| other healthy foods and start by dividing | | | | living on a budget, and for those seeking |
| these large packages into small lunch-size | | | | work-at-home employment. Please visit her |
| portions in baggies. Keep these baggies in a | | | | site to sign up for her free monthly |
| Rubbermaid container and then just grab them | | | | newsletter filled with more great tips to |
| and drop them in the lunch boxes in the | | | | help simplify your life. |