4 Quick Post-Holiday RESET Practices
School holidays bring a disruption in our normal daily routines! The habits and practices that we do almost unthinkingly to keep us moving from Monday to Friday become as dysregulated as our child after too much screen time during the holiday break. Here are a 5 quick reset habits that I revisit and re-implement to get my family back on track once school starts.
1. Routine Charts
We dust off the morning and evening routine chart. (Get a Free printable) and discuss the routines together. The discussion and chart become the morning and evening “story” that brings predictability after more irregular days. It also clarifies my expectations as we transition out of holiday vibe. The visual routine supports both myself and my children in finding our feet again. It is a quick VISUAL reference point and teaches independence and accountability. The chart also brings predictability/ familiar routine and I have found this to be very empowering for my children as they feel safe in knowing the next step. It is also a quick resource to direct my children to keep them more on track. If we stay on track there is even a little time for play before we leave.
Practical tip: a routine chart that engages the child motivates them to refer to it. E.g. flip windows that close
2. Mom Planning
Take time to plan your week the weekend ahead. Have a family calendar on the wall or fridge and list all weekly activities, appointments and plans here. For the younger child draw an image indicating an activity and for the reading child ask them to fill the content into the calendar. Having this quick overview for all members of the family assists everyone in working collaboratively.
Save more time by planning the weekly meals the weekend before and have all ingredients delivered to your home for a fridge/cupboard reset or do the weekly shop over the weekend.
This little bit of pre-planning saves so much time and “thought energy” during the week. Remember to include some healthy items for snack boxes. Having all the meal ingredients on hand reduces mom stress!
Stock snack box supplies with healthy quick fill items and pre-pack some snacks for time saving in the week. This makes packing snack boxes so much easier. My blog on snack boxes has some great tips.
Practical Tip: Packing these boxes the night before further allows for you to be fully present in the morning routine and can often decrease negative attention seeking behaviour that takes place while we are trying to prepare breakfast and pack snack boxes simultaneously.
3. Mom-Me Ritual
Set your clock for a little time to invest in yourself before the day with kids starts. Identify what this “self-investment” looks like for YOU. It could be a quiet coffee, a workout or some time to read, meditate, journal or pray. It could even be the high impact wakeup call of a cold shower/swim.! Mom-Me practices are vital, and the art of extreme self-care is unique to each individual but so important for our energy tank both physically and emotionally.
Practical tip: Me time might look different to life before children so think out the box.
4. Resume Screen Free Weekdays and Consistent Bedtimes
Returning children to their earlier bedtime routine for the earlier wake up can take a few days of consistency to be re-stablished. My daughters have very different sleep cycles, but understanding their sleep needs to make the earlier waking alarm still takes a consistent night routine that has a few nuances to meet individual needs with the ultimate goal being as much extra time to get ready in the morning. I have found on the days that we enough time in the morning and I try and focus on not using pressure and time words around “being late for school and work” and focus on a collaborative effort with a positive focus on their efforts we seem to have more success. We somehow go a little slower to ultimately go faster. Rest is important for all members of the family. Commit to a few early nights for yourself also and keep your own battery recharged. Good rest is key!
Practical Tip: place the next day’s clothes out the night before.
Funwithmama has a lovely free printable resources here:
