Moms Helping Moms: A Pediatrician’s Guide to a Healthy and Happy School Year

6 practical tips to make busy days a little easier for the whole family

In our Moms Helping Moms series, we tap parent experts to share the practical advice they actually use in their own lives (and work). We’re back with three familiar faces: Dr. Hadley Brighton, Dr. Saskia Gex, and Dr. Brooke Spector, board-certified pediatricians, moms, and co-founders of My Pediatrician Friend. 

Back-to-school season brings plenty of excitement – and plenty of chaos. Between earlier bedtimes, rushed mornings, packed lunches, after-school activities, and the inevitable return of classroom germs, getting everyone back into a routine can take some adjusting.

The good news? A few small shifts can make busy days run a little more smoothly. From simplifying mornings to giving kids time to decompress after school, these six practical back-to-school tips for parents can help the whole family settle into the rhythm of the year ahead. 

#1. Establish a bedtime routine and try to stick to it

Everyone feels better when they get enough sleep. Try to establish a bedtime for everyone and stick to it as much as you can throughout the year. Get everyone involved. Make sure your kids know what time they’re expected to be in bed so they can be part of making the routine work. Meltdowns happen when kids don’t have a routine and are surprised by bedtime. 

#2. Find foods that work for your family.

Trying to figure out what’s for dinner at 5pm or what kids will eat right before they run out the door to school always leads to stress and chaos. Try to find 4-5 meals that you know your family will eat and rotate them throughout the week.

To make breakfast smoother, tell your kids their breakfast options the night before and have them make the choice before they go to bed. That way breakfast has been decided, and you don’t have to run around yelling, “JUST PICK SOMETHING TO EAT!” (Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there!) Another trick is to have a few easy options around just in case breakfast totally fails – think yogurt, fruit, and healthy bars.

#3. Quiet time after school

This really seems to be the hardest for parents. It’s so tempting to pepper kids with questions the minute they walk in the door. But keep in mind, your kids have just spent the entire day learning and trying to navigate social interactions and often come home exhausted. Sometimes they just need 20-30 minutes to sit alone, decompress, and have a snack. If you give them that time to relax, you may find that your kids will willingly tell you all about their day.

#4. Have a BORING morning 

This may sound a little unexpected, but the more you can do the night before, the easier the mornings will be. Pack the lunches, water bottles, and backpacks the night before. Have shoes and socks lined up and ready to go by the door. Or try keeping a sock bin by the door for those inevitable mornings when your kids have forgotten their socks upstairs. The fewer things that have to be done in the morning, the easier it will be. 

#5. Graduated autonomy 

Kids can do way more than we give them credit for. Get them involved and in charge of decisions and tasks as much as possible, like putting their breakfast dish in the sink, filling their water bottle, choosing how they are woken up, etc. It allows them to build skills, feel responsible, and takes off a tiny amount of the parent load.

#6. Expect everyone to get sick

Back-to-school = back-to-germs. Once everyone is back to school, illness is inevitable. If you expect the worst, it’s less stressful when your kids come home sneezing, coughing, or with a fever. That being said, we always encourage handwashing! Just don’t expect to sanitize your way out of childhood.

The reality? The school year is never going to be completely predictable. There will be hectic mornings, forgotten socks, dinner plans that fall apart, and yes, plenty of sick days. But a few simple routines and realistic expectations can go a long way toward making the year feel more manageable for everyone. 

For more parent support, expert guidance, and direct access to board-certified pediatricians, visit My Pediatrician Friend. 

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