Our family has been settling into our back to school morning routine for the last few weeks. The first few days are always the roughest for us. Through some trial and error over the past few years, I’ve found some great ways to spend some time each evening preparing to make our mornings run smoother. Today, I’m sharing the three prep ideas that have had the greatest impact on our morning routines. Read on to see how we make it work, and be sure to check out the super yummy breakfast I love throwing together for my boys.

Thank you to TruMoo for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts within this post are my own.

EVENING PREP IDEAS FOR EASIER BACK TO SCHOOL MORNINGS

Make Wardrobe Decisions

Since #thebigone was very young, I’ve helped him set up his wardrobe each week. When he was very young and his clothes were tiny, we used 5 shoe box size plastic containers. He and I would add a pair of socks, some underwear, pants, and a shirt to each box. Each morning before preschool, #thebigone could grab a box and get started dressing himself. Now that he’s older, his clothes don’t fit well into those little boxes, so we’ve handed them down to #thelittleone. I now use a hanging organizer in #thebigone’s closet, where I add a complete outfit in each storage space. This really cuts down on confusion and craziness during those back to school mornings when you’re still getting into a routine.

Pack Your Bags

I always fall asleep a little easier when I know the bags are packed for the next morning. #thebigone and I review what he needs to have in his bag. I take care of #thelittleone’s daycare backpack. We leave them both on a rack in the front entry of our house, with the boys’ shoes and jackets. If I have a class or work event I need to attend one morning, I’ll be careful to pack my bags the night before as well. Every night before he heads to bed, my husband packs up his laptop bag and places it directly in front of our front door. My family may be rushing around trying to get our back to school act together, but at least we know we can grab our bags and have what we need.

Put Together a Filling Breakfast

Full disclosure, guys- I am so not a morning person. Or a great cook… So breakfast at my house can be a little iffy somedays! Throw trying to adjust to a new back to school routine into the mix, and we definitely rely on toast more than we should! The last thing I want is to send my kids off for the day with empty bellies. No one’s day goes well when they start it hungry! Luckily, it’s been a lifesaver to discover overnight oats recently. I can prepare several containers of oatmeal for my family in the evening, and we wake up to a tasty breakfast!

My family’s favorite variety of overnights is definitely the Very Berry Overnight Oats I put together using TruMoo Strawberry Milk. It’s made from milk that is free from artificial growth hormones, and made with non-GMO ingredients. TruMoo Strawberry Milk is a great source of calcium as well, so I know my boys are getting what their bodies need. My picky kiddos love the flavor, so I’m able to avoid mealtime battles. No one has time for that sort of nonsense during the busy back to school season!

Make Your Own TruMoo Very Berry Overnight Oats

Ingredients:
Makes 1 serving. Adjust accordingly if you’d like to make a larger batch for your family. 

• Old fashioned oats- 1/2 cup
• TruMoo Strawberry Milk– 1/2 cup
• Assorted fresh berries- 1/2 cup
• Optional mix-ins.
  • Some of our favorites: mini chocolate chips, chia seeds, ground flax, and coconut flakes.

To Make: 

Add oats, TruMoo Strawberry Milk, and berries to a container with a lid. (We typically use glass jars.) Mix well to combine ingredients. Add any optional extras- this is the perfect opportunity for each family member to customize their oatmeal. Store in refrigerator overnight and enjoy at breakfast. Very Berry Overnight Oats can be enjoyed warm or cold.

BE SURE TO CONNECT WITH GARELICK FARMS FOR MORE GREAT #TRIEDANDTRUMOO IDEAS!

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How do you help your family keep back to school mornings on track? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks in the comments below!

There are many goals I have in mind when I am raising my children… I aim to raise boys who are happy, healthy, loving, patient, and tolerant. In line with those hopes is my dream to raise part of the next generation of caregivers. There are a few steps my family and I are actively taking in an effort to raise boys who are truly their for the family that needs them. I’m sharing a few of those ideas today, because I know there must be other parents out there wondering how to do the same in their families. Read on to see how we’re bringing up some future family caregivers, and how you can work on instilling those values in your children too.

RAISING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CAREGIVERS

Read To Remove Fear

Kids’ minds are constantly turning, and my boys are no exception. In our family, we almost always turn to children’s books when we need to discuss a serious topic. My grandmother’s health is no exception. Due to her dementia, her behavior can be unpredictable and erratic at times. Sometimes we see her or other memory care residents yelling, or acting in ways that can be confusing and frightening for kids. By reading – and then re-reading – books that help to explain the changes they are experiencing, we can minimize some of our kid’s fears. Reading together gives them an opportunity to ask questions about what they may have seen during a particular visit. They can also talk about worries they have for the future in regards to health or aging.

The more you read through the books together, the more comfortable your kids will be with what they’re seeing. Identifying concerns and talking through them regularly helps kids feel more secure and understood. In turn, they’ll be better prepare to take on roles as caregivers in the future.

Our top choices: 

• What’s Happening To Grandpa? by Maria Shriver, illustrated by Sandra Speidel
• Now One Foot, Now The Other, stories and pictures by Tomie de Paola
• Little Mama Forgets, by Robin Cruise, pictures by Stacey Dressen-McQueen

Meet Kids Halfway

For my sons, visits to the memory care unit where my grandmother lives can cause a little anxiety at times. The residents typically flock to young children, so my kiddos are very popular when they visit. It can be a little overwhelming to have so many people they don’t really know asking questions, or asking for hugs or kisses. So we allow the boys to set limits when they need to. They can politely tell the residents ‘no thank you’ to hugs (although we’ve discussed many times that many don’t realize they’re being overbearing when asking).

My oldest especially finds it overwhelming sometimes, so I encourage him to pack a book or something small to keep him occupied. When he needs a breather, he can sit quietly and build Legos. My grandmother is typically happy just to have children around her, without needing much conversation or chatter.

Lead By example

Let your kids frequently see yourself and your spouse acting as caregivers. Children are always watching, and learning from your actions. Seeing you as caregivers will set them up to naturally move into those roles as they get older. As a child, my mother had my girl scout troop ‘adopt’ a grandmother at a local nursing home each year. We would visit the residents around the holidays, and spend time helping in little ways. My parents always involved my sister and I when they were caregivers for my great grandmother.

When my grandfather was in a rehabilitation facility, we would bring #thelittleone to visit. He loved to sit on Pop-Pop’s lap and chatter at him while we encouraged my grandfather to do his physical therapy or practice using his new walker. My boys see my parents and myself take my grandmother out for dinner several times a month. They see us helping her to her room, or in and out of cars. They watch as we gently try to reassure her in a moment of confusion or anger. All of these moments are teaching through example how many caregivers act, and what may be expected of them in the future.

Share Your Memories

My children have never known my grandmother in the way that I did. For as long as they have known her, she has been living with dementia. I love sharing photos with them from my childhood, when my grandmother was still vibrant and independent. It’s fun for them to see how she looked (that dyed bright red hair!) and hear about her personality quirks. More than just being fun though, it subtly establishes the idea that time will change people.

The truth is that people who are healthy when they’re young may not always stay that way as they age. By sharing our family history, I am indirectly introducing my sons to the idea that many of our loved ones may need caregivers in the future. Giving them exposure to that idea early, in a non-threatening way allows them to be more patient with the changes we see in my grandmother, as well as have realistic expectations for the future.

Make It Easy Where You Can

No one says that raising a growing family and acting as caregivers to an older family member will be easy. I speak from experience when I say that it can be complicated and overwhelming. Whenever possible, I suggest knowing and setting your own limits. It’s crucial for your own mental health, as well as your children’s happiness. That’s why I love how Sam’s Club’s Caregivers Program is making my family’s role so much easier than it used to be.

My parents or I can pick up my grandmother’s necessities on a regular Sam’s Club run, rather than having to run to a special medical supply store. They even have the option to order online and pick it up right at the store – no more trying to wrangle kids and a cart while I shop! Alternatively, we can also order exactly what she needs online to have it delivered in discreet packaging – because I’m not entirely in the mood to have the mail carrier assume I’m in adult diapers quite yet! Plus, buying the essentials wholesale saves money, which is ideal for my grandmother’s fixed income!

As my grandmother’s condition continues to change, and her Alzheimer’s Disease progresses, I’m grateful for the wide variety of products Sam’s Club has available for caregivers. Her toileting is becoming less and less independent as time progresses. As a result, the option to easily change our purchases from Poise liners and pads to Depend products is ideal. My grandmother’s diet is becoming increasingly finicky and less nutritionally sound, so we’ll be adding Ensure Nutrition Shakes to our orders in the near future as well.

Being able to get so much of what we need for her care from one shop is exactly what we need to make our jobs as caregivers a little less stressful. In turn, that minimal stress allows me to focus on what my kids need as much as possible. My parents and I can better help them through all the changes my grandmother is going through because our basic caregivers needs are so well covered through the solutions Sam’s Club offers.

> > > LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW SAM’S CLUB CAN HELP CAREGIVERS! < < <

Have you taken an active role in raising future caregivers? How are you instilling that value in your children? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

This post was sponsored by Nabisco as part of an Integrated Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Am I the only mom who feels like the afternoons between school and dinner time are just absolutely insane?! I feel like as soon as #thebigone hops off the bus after school, we’ve got to ‘go go go’ straight through the next few hours. There’s scouting, sports, playdates, picking up #thelittleone from daycare… It seems to be never ending! #thebigone typically gets very annoyed when he’s being dragged around town. Thanks to some recent changes I’ve made, after school errands have started to get a bit easier. I’ve put together a list of the 3 quick, simple tips that have helped to make my boys more agreeable on the go. The after school run-around is exhausting enough-no one wants whining kids on top of it all! Read on for those tips, and to see the tasty snack you can almost always find in our glove compartment!

KEEP A KID’S CALENDAR

I feel lost without my planner, so I can just imagine how #thebigone feels when he’s not sure of the plan for the day. This school year, we decided to get him his own calendar. We can help him fill it out with events like library day, Boy Scout meetings, or time with his dad. He crosses off each day as it passes, so he can keep track of where he is in the month. With time, I’ll be able to do less cuing and reminding about what’s coming up. Instead I can simply encourage him to check his calendar. The calendar helps give him some independence in terms of preparing what he needs for each activity. If soccer is coming up on Saturday morning, #thebigone knows to gather his cleats and shin guards Friday evening.

PACK ENTERTAINMENT

I find that the ‘boring’ chores that have to get done go smoother when the kids have entertainment with them. We keep a small selection of early chapter books in the car so that #thebigone can grab one to read on a trip across town. If I know we’ll be out and about for a long time, I may consider bringing his tablet with us, although we don’t rely heavily on screen time. In addition to books, I usually also have a small notebook, pens, and some crayons or colored pencils in a bag. #thebigone loves to play hangman or tic tac toe while he waits places, so it’s a great way to keep him engaged and happy. Activity books and puzzle books are also great to have when you’re out and about.

DON’T FORGET THE SNACKS

Let’s face it. No one is terribly pleasant when they’re feeling ‘hangry’, kids or adults. #thebigone is no exception. I try to keep a few packs of non-perishable snacks either in my bag or the glove compartment of the car. They’re easy to grab, and simple to serve. One of the most requested snacks from my kiddos is TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks. I try to always keep at least a few in the car for them. TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks come in both vanilla and chocolate, which is perfect because my boys like having a bit of variety in their snacks. The TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks are made with real ingredients, like eggs and milk. They’re free of artificial flavors or colors, so I don’t have to worry about my kids eating them. They’re available at Wal-Mart in the cookie and cracker aisle. That makes it super convenient to pick more up for a reasonable price any time we need them. Best of all, TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks taste great so I know my kiddos will snack happily. (And my boys can be pretty darn picky!)

Connect With TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks:

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Get Your Own After School Goodies!

I-C will randomly select 14 winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes.
Nabisco Snacktime Sweepstakes

Do You Have Any Tips To Share For Busy Afternoons On The Go? I’d Love To Hear About Them In The Comments Below!

No doubt, you’ve seen the ever-changing studies and ‘rules’ about screen time for kids all over the internet. I don’t know about you, but I can barely keep up with the fluctuating research and findings! So we’ve decided to make our screen time choices as a family based on what we know about our kiddos, and what works for our family. We value the importance of active thinking and play for our boys, so it’s important to us that screen time not be a 24/7 thing here. However, we also believe ‘everything in moderation is key.’ Inspired by the ‘Genius Of Play’ campaign, I’m talking about how we make it work in our home. Read on to see the 5 choices my family is making about screen time. If you’ve been questioning the screen time standards in your home, these choices may be a great starting point for your to re-evaluate your family’s stance.

This post is sponsored by “The Genius of Play” Initiative. All opinions expressed are my own.

Choose toys inspired by screen time favorites.

We’ve had a lot of success choosing toys for #thebigone that are inspired by his screen time favorites, but don’t necessarily involve a screen. Choosing open ended toys allows kids to be creative and imaginative while still feeling connected to their favorite games or videos. Minecraft lends itself perfectly to building, so encouraging building with Legos is an ideal extension. Roblox figures promote dramatic play, as kids help their characters act out scenes. Plush toys allow children to cuddle with a favorite game character at bedtime. It’s the perfect option to help kids settle down at bedtime, rather than a screen making sleep more difficult.

Choose books inspired by screen time favorites.

This is another area where we’ve chosen to find screen time extensions that don’t actually involve screens. When at the bookstore, we notice our oldest steering towards books that coordinate with his favorite video games. If it means he enthusiastically reads independently, we’re happy to fill our shelves with Minecraft inspired series. #thebigone feels like he’s still immersed in the world of his game, when he’s really getting some quality quiet time and reading practice.

Another great book alternative we love is purchasing workbooks inspired by our children’s on-screen favorites. #thebigone has always loved workbooks, so for him, this option is more play than work. (We would never force extra work on a kid who didn’t enjoy it! Play is the work of childhood, after all.) His favorite workbooks for years have been inspired by Star Wars. The characters make learning math and phonics seem like playtime to him. We loved being able to help him learn without needing a screen.

Choose quality screen time.

We’re not crazy. My husband and I know that our kids are going to spend time in front of screens. Honestly, they’re probably exposed to screens more than they should be. Whenever possible, we make an effort to help our kids engage in quality screen time. There’s a huge difference between #thebigone sitting zoned out on the couch watching tv mindlessly and coding on our raspberry pi with my husband. He loves video games, so rather than just sitting and playing, we chose a kit to help him create his own video game. Sure, it involves a screen, but he goes through the creative process along with it, and the possibilities are endless. We don’t want to deprive our kids of all screen time by any means. Instead we want to focus on engaging, active, creative screen time options. This choice is truly where the old cliche ‘it’s not quantity, it’s quality’ comes into play. Ideally, the majority of screen time in our home should inspire creative, active thinking, and PLAY!

Choose to research.

I’m just an average mom, by no means an expert at any of this! Sure, I can share the choices my family makes regarding screen time, but it’s not gospel. Make sure to do what works for your family, and do your research. There are countless books out there on the topic of screen time for kids. Check some out from your local library, or grab one the next time you’re at the bookstore. Consult a few before you find the guidance that resonates for you, and really suits your family.

choose to be flexible.

Truly, this is probably the most important choice we’ve made. I’ve learned that there are times when it’s crucial to be flexible. Some days as a parent, you need to bend the rules a bit. Super rainy stretch of weather? Of course we’ll watch a little extra screen time. Fun new movie out at the theater? You can bet we’ll head out to see it. [Bonus points if it’s inspired by a book though, so we can read the book first and compare!] Family movie nights, days spent with Nana & Grandpa, blizzards, mornings when #thelittleone has woken up super early and we just can’t adult yet… They all call for a little extra screen time. Everything in moderation. Extend yourself a bit of grace in these moments.

LEARN MORE

Interested in finding out more about The Toy Association and their ‘Genius Of Play’ initiative? They’ve got information on the benefits of play, ideas for fun, toy recommendations, and much more. Check the links below to see more!

Genius Of Play / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube

How Is Your Family Making Screen Time Work? Let Me Know About Your Choices In The Comments!