Drew and Jonathan’s Back-to-School Tips for a Chaos-Free Fall
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Just like any busy parent, Drew and Jonathan know that back-to-school season is a lot of work. Not only do you have to buy all those school supplies like backpacks, notebooks, and lunch boxes, you also have to get organized for all the activities that come with a new year. Not to mention picking up all the “requirements” kids have for their personal style, which is a whole job in itself! But back-to-school season is also an exciting time. With a little planning and some advice from Drew and Jonathan, you can tackle this new season with confidence, and have fun doing so.
Jonathan’s Back-to-School Tips
First up, we have Jonathan’s words of wisdom for your grade-schoolers out there! Jonathan and Zooey’s kids are 9 and 7 years old, so they’ve become pros at handling the chaos that ensues come fall. Keep reading for some of his best back-to-school tips (including ways to incorporate learning without the kids even realizing).
Plan ahead.
“Our kids’ school is very organized and has great communication, so once we receive their notices for what to expect during the school year, we start planning,” he says. “We also leave ourselves a good week of downtime after summer camps and everything else so that we can prep properly.” Rushing? Not at the Park House!
Go to sleep smarter…
“Our bedtime habits remain predominantly the same between summer and the school year. The biggest difference is that during the school week, we don’t watch movies or use devices. That’s a weekend activity,” he says.
But there is one habit they can keep all year long: “They both love to listen to the science podcast Wow in the World before bed. The downside to this is that they are now smarter than we are.”
…and wake up smarter, too.
Parents, this is a good one: “I have smart lights in the kids’ rooms, and I rigged them in the app to create a schedule so that when their lights turn yellow, that means it’s time to get up,” he says. “They’re also not supposed to wake us up or come into our room before that light turns yellow. That used to happen a lot when the kids were younger, but we haven’t had a problem since using this method.”
Organization is key to stress-free mornings.
“In addition to the bedroom light hack, I usually get up and shower before the kids are awake so I’m taken care of,” he says. “Then, I grab their clothes and their toothbrushes and take them down to the kitchen, because I know the real motivation for them is to go down and eat. We also pre-make their lunches the night before and keep them in the fridge so we’re not rushing to get that done.”
Weave in learning wherever you can.
The transition from summer to school can be tough, so Jonathan and Zooey still work on different projects that keep math and other skills fresh. And if one of the kids needs to work more on a certain subject, it’s all about the approach.
“We find fun playful ways to get the kids excited about learning,” he says. “We’ll tackle activities where they’ll learn something like math without realizing it. We’re sneaky like that.”
Homework comes first.
“My hope is to get them in the habit of getting homework done first, so it frees up the rest of the night,” he says. “Nothing is more frustrating than getting to the end of your day and realizing you still have a project to do.”
Jonathan’s Back-to-School Essentials
Drew’s Back-to-School Tips
Now, onto Drew! Drew and Linda’s oldest son Parker may not be school-aged quite yet, but they’re still picking up lots of tricks for the future. The one thing Drew’s absolutely certain of when Parker (and eventually Piper!) does head off to his first day? “There will be tears,” he says. If you have toddlers, you’ll find his advice particularly helpful.
Get them comfortable in a classroom setting.
“Instead of sending Parker to preschool, we created a portable classroom with some of Parker’s friends, and were able to recreate the same fun activities,” he says. “Music has been a joy for Parker, as well as building. Oh, and dance! Parker loves to dance.”
Find educational shows and toys they actually enjoy.
“Ms. Rachel and Bluey are hands down Parker’s faves,” Drew says. “He also loves Magna-Tiles and Blockaroos. I think we have a future Property Brother on our hands.”
Find what works for your bedtime routine.
“We’ve removed all music players and toys with sound, as they can be a distraction when we want him to sleep,” Drew says. “However, we’ve come to realize that if we let him play with one ‘distraction toy’ right before bed, he agrees to put it on his shelf until morning.”
Well, he agrees with one caveat. “He’ll be quick to say good night, so we leave… And then he runs to the shelf just check to make sure it’s there and goes back to bed. He doesn’t typically take it, just checks it.”
No matter how old they are, always be prepared.
“Be ready for kiddos to bring home bad habits and every illness imaginable,” Drew says. “I assume I’ll be catching everything for the next 18 years. But it’s life, so we just roll with it.”
