School is almost in session. If you have little ones, you know this can be a crazy time between the routine change and weather shift. To save a little sanity, we’ve put together a Back To School Survival guide designed with you and your kids in mind.
Find Support. Communities raise children. Doing it on your own can feel like climbing a mountain. Whether it be pick-up/drop-off help, carpooling groups, or after-school activities, finding community will help take some of the stress off of your needing to be a super-parent every day. Call your school and inquire about any programs they are running, look into neighbourhood parent programs or simply set up a group chat and suggest a carpool.
Organize, organize, organize. Make your life easier by creating functional spaces in your home: spaces for the kids to do their homework, and store their backpacks and school supplies. Creating a school-focused kitchen space can be helpful with different coloured containers, lunch bags and utensils to ensure daily lunches are prepped, ready to go and in the hands of the right child!
Habit Stacking. Coined by the #1 best-selling author James Clear, incorporating tiny habits into your routine can help cut down on decision-making time and allow you to stick with healthy habits created this summer. For example, if you got into the habit of going for morning walks and you want to keep this up, the night before put your clothes and shoes beside your bed the night before, and set up your morning tea/coffee and breakfast. When you wake up, you’ll have a foolproof routine that allows you to stick with a goal that brings you joy! The AIYANA pantry has a couple of teas that can be easily left beside your kettle and made within seconds. Want to kick it up a notch? Incorporate breakfast on your walk with some of our portable breakfast items like our Fuel Good Smoothie and Overnight Oats.
Screenless quiet time and space. For parents, designating quiet areas in the house for you and your kids can be crucial during this busy time. Creating self-care spaces is supportive of regulating the nervous system and will help ground you and your kids through the stresses of the school year. The start of a new year can cause anxiety and sleepless nights. Creating safe spaces for them to unwind can increase adaptability and decrease daily stressors. Screenless time can increase your child’s quality of sleep, improve mental and physical health and increase interpersonal skills.
Get comfortable in the new environment. Many schools will offer open house days where kids and parents can get familiar with drop-off/pick-up locations, their home classrooms, teachers, washrooms and common areas. Introducing children to a new environment can minimize confusion during the first couple of months and help boost their confidence come that first day.
Prepare nutritious breakfast, lunches and snacks. Skipping breakfast to save time in the morning is not approved by the AIYANA fam. We get it, mornings can be tough and making breakfast can feel overwhelming. But that’s why we offer multiple healthy, protein-focused and blood sugar balancing breakfast options that travel well and will set up your energy levels for the whole day. For lunch, try out one of our bowls that are packed with vitamins, minerals and complex carbohydrates to help keep you full until dinner time. And don’t forget about snacks. Many of our items can be turned into snacks or are already in perfect snack-size portions. Our energy bites, frittata bites, hummus and granola offer a perfect mix of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates (without artificial ingredients and added sugars) that will provide energy and focus for you and your kids.
If you follow this Back to School Survival guide, you’ll feel confident, nourished and excited to take on whatever is thrown at you this school year. AIYANA is here to help and provide your family with nutrient-dense food to fuel you. It’s time to take the stress out of healthy eating!