What School Moms Really Need

There's no stress quite like preschool picture day stress. Now that I have two kids in school our morning routines are definitely different, but not as bad as I was expecting given we were already used to getting two kids ready in the morning (just one used to go to a grandparents' house and now he goes to school!). We were lucky that Kiddo 2 was able to get into our favorite early childhood education program mid-year when a spot opened up right after he turned 3 (the minimum age to attend). So after his January school start we fast-forward to February's Spring School Picture Day! I was definitely excited since the backgrounds are the same as Kiddo 1's when he was in preschool and I just couldn't wait to put the pictures side-by-side and eventually hang school photos on our walls!

Unfortunately, taking professional pictures with children is always going to be stressful given the unknown factor. Will they be in a good mood? Will they keep their clothes clean? Now add the fact that parents aren't there during picture day (it takes place at school) and the stress continues to mount. I can't fix his curls with conditioning spray after he flattens them with his hoodie. I can't tuck his shirt in if half of it is sticking out. I can't wipe chocolate off his face or snatch him before he face-plants into a pile of dirt. I can't share all his favorite silly things to try to make him smile. The good new is, we do have a form to share favorite interests with the photographer who can hopefully connect and get a good grin. They are pros at this after all. And at the end of the day, even a flattened hair and chocolate-stained face will be adorable.

But thinking about school picture day and the start of preschool made me really think about how far I've come in motherhood and how much our lives have changed since we first saw the first positive pregnancy test. Essential supplies no longer include burp cloths and bottles, playpens and highchairs. Suddenly we have name labels to put on water bottles and backpacks and jackets. My kids not only walk now but put on their own shoes! So I decided to share some of the things that have helped me in this new stage of motherhood. Like past posts about what new moms really need, this post is about essential survival items and tactics when you've reached that preschool/kindergarten era.

What Kiddo Needs:

Name labels, medium-sized backpack, bento lunchbox, thermos, and (still) water wipes.

I found these personalized daycare name labels on Amazon when my second child started preschool, and they were so helpful in that they actually stay on to identify lost jackets, mixed up lunchboxes, and more. Once the kids are in school you will need to label everything that goes with them to help ensure it might maybe come back. Yes, label that backpack--one that's not so big it overwhelms them or doesn't fit in a cubby but not so small that it won't fit a large piece of construction paper artwork. Good luck with that. Bento lunchboxes are all the rage now, and they really do make packing lunches easier. A thermos for water is essential (especially where we live) and I've had success with the Hydro Flask brand. It's durable, easy to clean, and my kids actually drink from them. Ice stays incredibly cold. It works for school, sports, (gymnastic class currently), and stall-tactic sips at bedtime. Oh, and about those wipes. Most useful kid product EVER. Even without a diaper bag anymore I still carry wipes to every outing (and extra pull ups and underwear just in case). Yes, even at the school stage, poop will likely be a major part of your life (it's not that easy to learn to wipe), and the wipes are equally essential for removing playground germs (hopefully), mopping up ice cream, and the daily wiping of hands and faces that will definitely still be required.

Bonus luxuries: Car seat trays! I cannot tell you how useful these have been for feeding hungry kids in the car. Please keep in mind if you use these while the car is moving it could be unsafe in the event of a crash--as all food is, technically--since it could become a projectile. However, if you get your food, then park, and then eat, you have your kids safe in one spot getting their tummies full faster than they likely would at the dinner table at home (which they can run away from). I like to play phone music through my car's speakers while they snack. Indoor bouncy house (this Christmas present keeps on giving). Balance beam (I LOVE this).

What Mom Needs:

Coffee, a clear morning/evening routine, bag that can fit wipes and thermoses.

I'll save the morning and evening routine details for another post (though some tips are below), but needless to say, you need to have some kind of schedule to make the days with kids in school just a little bit manageable. And man you'll be living off the sense of accomplishment it brings when your all your kids have pooped, taken baths, and done their homework for the night. That means you can relax until it's time for the bedtime routine!

Bonus luxuries: Fancy coffee, fancy coffee cup, a new purse, portable phone charger, grocery delivery subscription.

Do you need fancy coffee? No. Do you deserve fancy coffee? Absolutely. Treat yourself to a fancy coffee, and maybe a special coffee cup on Amazon. I'm into iced coffee right now so I bought this glass with "mom affirmations" that I just love. And while I started my grocery delivery subscription before I had kids, it's been incredibly useful to have our needs brought to our door instead of having to take two kids with me every time we need more bread, or squeeze shopping in after work and before pickup, which just takes time away from the evening routine and actual quality time with my children. With the delivery service at the ready, when we do decide to take trips to the store (like everyone's favorite in our family: Target), it can be for picking a small toy or exploring the newest Bluey shirts.

I'll end this post with a few of my favorite mom tips that I practice so hopefully it can help any school moms out there with their routines:

Mom Tip for Lunches: I make five sandwiches on Sunday, cut them in half, and place them in non-zipper sandwich baggies (the foldover style) before going in the fridge. Then each day of the week each kid gets half a sandwich in their lunch (trust me, they won't eat more than that), along with their favorite sides (grapes for Kiddo 2, crackers or pretzels for Kiddo 1), some fruit snacks, and small cookies when available. Each side is meal-prepped in a baggie on Sunday as well so I can just grab and assemble each weekday morning.

Mom Tip for After School: Need kids to wind down? Are they hungry and also love to play? Do kids like McDonalds? I think you know the answer to that question. Parents might not be the golden arches' biggest fan, but if you need something to do after school in the winter when it's super cold or the summer when it's super hot, and they need to get out energy and have some guaranteed protein in them, nuggies + play place is the way to go.

Mom Tip for the Evening Routine: We do baths every other day. It helps keep the kids' skin from drying out too much, but also gives the kids (and the mom!) a break from routines that can get a little overwhelming when you still have homework and dinner to finish. I've helped my Kindergartener pace his homework with two pages a night (a LOT more than I ever had in Kindergarten, but I can't change it), and I make sure to shower the night before (while the kids are relaxing with Daddy) so it's one less thing for me to worry about in the morning. While every parent is going to have their own routine, my kids do plenty of reading on their own based on their interests, so rather than force a bedtime story at night I let them have a final "5 minutes of device time" and then it's "devices to Daddy!" and we all put them away and snuggle together before falling asleep.