As the kids head back to school, and we say good-bye to the summer parties, vacations, BBQ's and non-structured days, we also get to say good-bye to the excuses. Time for us to get back on track, kids and parents alike! The beginning weeks of school are filled with much chaos, tardiness, and just a lot of adjustment time. BUT, we need to get back on track NOW, because guess what is soon on its' way... HOLIDAYS! Here are some of my tips to help you (and your family) feel like you have a handle on things!
1. Set up for Success on Sundays: Every Sunday in my household is the day we food prep. We make sure our snack containers are filled with snacks for the kids, the fruit basket is filled with our favorite fruit to 'grab and go', and we "fire up the grill" and barbecue our favorite meats to last the next few days. We peel, dice, chop.... to be sure we have raw veggies ready for dipping in hummus or to throw quickly in the oven for roasting. It is a process but we make sure we are all involved. It takes about 90 mins when you have 2 adults working on this together.
2. Use a Planner: Before bed, my husband I write in our planners and compare what we have going on for the week... drama club, soccer practice, play-dates, school meetings, appointments... it all goes in BOTH of our planners. We also make sure we both know who is doing the "pick up" and "drop off" for the week. This also shows us when we may need to solicit help, like a neighbor, grandparent or sitter, for a certain day or time period. We don't want any last minute scheduling conflicts.
3. Start each Day Positive... and EARLY: There is nothing worse than that feeling when you wake up late and now have to scream at your kids to hurry up and get ready for school. It sets the day up very negatively for everyone, kids and parents. Sure, it happens time to time. The best way to avoid it is to create a habit of getting up earlier AND starting the morning off with something completely non-stressful. If you are working on bringing your faith in the home more, start the morning with a family prayer circle. Even if it is just one parent home in the mornings. Having a short time with God in the morning can really shift your day in the right direction. It can be as simple as thanking God for what you have and asking Him to be with the family throughout the day. The kids can add in a special prayer, if they have a big test that day, or a soccer game for example.
Another idea is to have a 5 minute family exercise session every morning. Do some jumping jacks, push ups, sit ups, and some stretching. Playing a good song and dancing is also a great way to start the day.
In the beginning these little changes will feel like you are forcing in the time, or trying to remember to do it, but eventually you are creating habits for the whole family. The structure, family time, and healthy habits will be memorable and appreciated by your kids! So before we even think about what fitness or Nutrition Plan we want to do, we must get that structure in place. No better time to implement it than now!
See what B.E.A.S.T Fitness is all about!
See what B.E.A.S.T Fitness is all about!
