Because the kids aren’t the only ones who need a fresh start in August

Back-to-school season doesn’t just hit in one day. It’s a slow tidal wave of supplies, schedules, new shoes, and maybe a few emotional meltdowns (theirs or ours). For moms, this is the perfect time to hit reset, and these back to school tips are designed to help. Whether your kids are headed to kindergarten or high school, this season is as much about mental prep and planning wins as it is about notebooks and backpacks.

So we pulled together a few mom-approved picks to help this annual reset feel smoother. Deep breath. Fresh planner. Let’s go.

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What they’ll actually wear

Kids outgrow everything fast. So August is the moment for basics: fresh jeans, leggings, and tees they’ll reach for every morning.

We keep going back to The Children’s Place for affordable staples, solid uniforms, and those matching sibling outfits that somehow still pass the vibe check. Bonus points for the frequent sitewide sales.

Target also delivers with comfy, school-friendly pieces, from adaptive clothing to licensed graphic tees your kids will insist on wearing four days in a row.

Plan like a pro

If your calendar already looks like a maze of sports, pickups, and theme days, it might be time to level up your planner game.

Mom Agenda gets it. Their Academic Year planners have separate sections for each kid, plus space for meals, reminders, and your own life too. (Remember that?) And for organizing supplies, snacks, or hair stuff, Dollar Tree bins are still our go-to. They’re $1.25, stack well, and don’t fall apart in two weeks.

Reset home routines

It’s not just the kids adjusting. Schedules shift, mornings get earlier, and even the family dog notices something’s different.

Petco has calming products for pets who struggle with the sudden quiet or the sudden noise. Think chews, sprays, or puzzle toys to keep them occupied. And when you’re the one feeling the shift, Earth Mama makes gentle wellness picks like stress support teas or their perennial mom-favorite lotions.

Tech that helps, not hinders

From photo printers to study laptops, the right tech can make life easier for them—and for you.

If your kids are decorating lockers, dorms, or even just journals, the HP Sprocket is a fun add. It’s compact, ink-free, and prints straight from a phone. And ASUS offers reliable, budget-conscious laptops that get the job done. If this is the year for a tech refresh, start there.

Bags that hold it all

Backpacks take a beating, especially when they’re hauling Chromebooks, lunch, and three crumpled permission slips.

Samsonite might not be your first pick for kids’ bags, but their styles for older students and parents are surprisingly smart. Think laptop sleeves, water resistance, and actual comfort.

Easy fuel for moms

You can’t live on crusts from leftover PB&Js. August is the time to restock easy options that support your own energy, even if breakfast happens in the car.

We love keeping a few Suja Organic juices in the fridge, especially their green blends and immunity shots. It’s a small thing, but it’s a mom win when something healthy is actually easy.

A gentle reminder

This isn’t just back to school for them. It’s a reset for you too. You don’t need to overhaul your life. Just a few smart swaps and calming rituals can make everything feel more manageable.

Ready to dive in? Shop the picks that work for your crew and take this season on with a little more ease.

Updated September 2024

Remember the good old days, when getting out the door was as easy as grabbing your purse and keys, sliding shoes on, opening the door and leaving?

Now that you have children, mornings are jam-packed with tasks that are all potential speed bumps.

It’s well established that children do best when they know what to expect. This means creating routines and consistency is essential to a properly functioning household.

Now that school is back in session, it’s the perfect time to dust off all the rules and routines we had happily tucked away in the deepest corners of our minds for summer.

Here are 7 tips — plus a few helpful items — to get your kids to school/daycare on time.

1. Prep the Night Before

In other words, cover all your bases (or as many as possible) the night before, so you have less to worry about in the trenches of hectic school mornings.

Lay out clothes for the next morning (involve your kiddos if they like to choose their outfits), set the table for breakfast after clearing off dinner, pack up lunch boxes and snacks… You can even pick out clothing for the entire week ahead (see below for product recommendations). Anything you can prep the night before will free up brain space and help avoid crises and meltdowns at crunchtime.

Check out our school lunch planner to go the extra mile.

2. Add in Me-Time in the Mornings

Always give yourself more time than you think you need, even if it means giving up those last 30 minutes of sleep.

I personally like to wake up before my kids so that I can wake myself up and get ready in peace. In turn, it then allows me to fully focus on getting my children dressed, fed and ready for the day, which really helps our overall morning flow.

This usually comes with the need to discipline myself: I go to bed earlier to wake up earlier. No more hitting that snooze button.

3. Set up All the Timers

“15 minutes ’til we have to get out the door to catch the bus…

5 minutes… [phone timer goes off]. Time to put our shoes on and go!”

All hail timers!

Especially if you have kiddos who cannot yet read time, timers help everyone (grownups and little ones alike) stay mindful of the exact time a task needs to be fully accomplished.

In our house, we use timers specifically to get dressed and to get a sense of when we need to get out the door, especially when we work with the MTA/bus schedule. I usually use my phone, but I also love the visual/analog countdown timers that are more intuitive for children: they feature a colored disc that slowly disappears to let them know time passes. See the list below for our favorite time-saving devices.

If visuals don’t work, consider making a morning playlist with upbeat, motivating songs that your children are familiar with. The music cues and song changes can guide them through the different tasks they have to accomplish throughout the morning. For example, when they hear “Here Comes the Sun,” it’s time to get dressed.

4. Gamify the Morning

More specifically, make it a race.

I have never seen my children get dressed as quickly as when I tell them they need to have all their clothes on by the time I am done brushing my teeth.

The power of play is really a thing of wonders!

5. Reward them with “Free Time”

Nothing motivates my children to get ready like the reward of “free time,” where they get carte blanche in the activities they get to do before we head out.

During free time, my boys are allowed to play whatever they want, as long as they are dressed and ready to go. They sometimes choose TV (we only allow educational shows, like Story Bots or Sesame Street), but more often than not, they opt for free play (with legos or stuffed animals), drawing or reading (video games are off limits). The timer comes back out for “free time” so they know they only have a specific amount of time before having to put their shoes on, grab their backpacks and get out the door.

*Be careful, here… there are kids who will wake up extra early so they can hurry and get ready for school so they have extra time to watch iPad, for example. Some of them will get up earlier and earlier…. and that’s not what we’re going for.

6. Use Checklists

A simple checklist can do wonders for a smooth morning (or anytime!) routine. In our home, we use a whiteboard that can easily be updated as needed, and I set it outside my kids’ bedrooms so it’s the first thing they see when they open their doors in the morning.

Since my kids are older, I wrote out their morning checklist (i.e. brush your teeth; get dressed for school; put your jammies in the hamper; turn off your bedroom light; etc.) but if your children don’t yet know how to read, you can draw or print out pictures of each task as well.

We’re also big fans of the visual morning charts that use velcro tabs. Once your child is done with a task, they simply flip the tab up, and voila! If you feel in the mood for a little DIY project, you can make your own here.

7. Keep Breakfast Simple

Mornings are not the time to reinvent yourself as a chef. Keep your little ones’ breakfasts as easy as possible: peanut butter and banana toasts, minute oatmeal, toaster waffles (multigrain), avocado toasts, yogurt and granola are some of our favorite options to nourish our kiddos while staying on track.

Our Favorite Items to Keep Mornings Moving

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That’s it! Let us know your favorite tips, tricks and items for getting out the door on time each morning — leave us a comment below.

Cheers! ~ Charlene