Late August is here again, which means it is time for our annual back-to-school extravaganza. In this week’s episode of Best of Both Worlds, Sarah and I discuss the coming school year, when we’ll have kids in everything from preschool to 11th grade (OK, that’s me — Sarah’s are in a far more reasonable spread of K, 4th, and 6th).
We discuss schedules, activities, lunches, homework, and recreating that back-to-school vibe for yourself. In the question section we discuss one-on-one days with kids. How do we manage those, and how do we make them feel fair?
Please give the episode a listen, and as always we welcome ratings and reviews!
(I apologize for the late posting on this one, a few days after the episode was released. This is the first time I have had wifi on my laptop in days — but more on that soon!)
This may not be a popular idea, but here’s my tried and tested trick to get middle/high schooler out the door in the AM: When I wake up I take their phone and air pods from the kitchen charger and put them in the car. Once they are done with the morning routine, they go to the car and get tech. If they finish with breakfast, lunch packing, and getting ready early they get more screen time before school. We have a short drive to school so if they aren’t ready on time they get basically no time to catch up on messages from friends before school dropoff. I also apparently cut off screen time in the evening earlier than most in our area because they both wake up to many missed messages and phone calls! #naturalconsequences
@Leah – yep, tech can be a great reward for getting ready on time. And I hear you on the late night messages. This is one reason we confiscate the phones but I’m kind of shocked that kids are sending texts at 2 a.m.
Minnesota passed universal free breakfast and lunch starting this school year and I couldn’t be happier. All kids get fed, which helps their learning and behavior, and there is no stigma for anyone who doesn’t have paid-up lunch accounts. A better learning environment for everyone is a win.
We are privileged that we don’t need free lunches in our family, but we benefit in so many other ways. I don’t have to load lunch accounts, I don’t have to pack lunches that meet class allergen standards, and *no* dealing with meeting the preferences of two kids who change those preferences daily. I couldn’t tell you how much of our tax bill goes towards this particular program, but given that we no longer pay over $100/month for school lunches along with the other benefits, seems like a win to us.
@Sarah – having just deposited $450 into lunch accounts, I hear you! Since two of my kids often get to school on the earlier side, I’m definitely going to suggest they stop by the breakfast.