I received compensation from McDonald’s in exchange for writing this review. Although this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.
They’re back. Homework, teachers and dirty looks. Yes, Back-to-School season has fully kicked into high gear.
It seems like only yesterday I was heading into Kindergarten myself. I don’t remember much of those days, except holding on to my mom’s leg for dear life as she tried to pry me off with a crowbar.
Now I’ve got two boys of my own moving along the educational path. Ryan’s still in Elementary School, while Jason’s now in Middle School. Surviving this time of year is definitely tough… for us parents, I mean.
How do we keep our heads on straight with all the conflicting schedules? How do we stay sane with the non-stop complaining? And how do we possibly wrap our heads around all this new Common Core stuff that just keeps us scratching our heads?
There are plenty of ways to keep your head above water this time of year, so I thought I’d share my Top 3 Tips for Surviving the Back to School Season.
Survival Tip #1: Snack Attack
When my kids come home from school, they’re usually pretty ravenous. That’s where some fresh popcorn or even baby carrots come in super handy. They’re non-messy and can be chomped on while working their way through their homework.
Survival Tip #2: Homework First
I remember coming home from school as a kid, heading right into the kitchen and starting my homework. I liked getting it over with, so I could just enjoy the rest of the evening. I’m happy to see my kids following suit. It means they’re not up till all hours trying to finish up any homework at night.
Survival Tip #3: Sleep it Off
Easily the hardest part of getting everyone into the Back-to-School frame of mind is sleep. After an entire summer of staying up late, it’s really tough to switch gears and get the kids on an early bedtime schedule. That goes for us parents, too. A good night sleep can make all the difference in the world.
Yes, school survival is certainly tough for the entire family. Heck, my kids aren’t even into any team sports, but the weeks somehow still find themselves jam-packed.
There’s after-school orchestra lessons, Hebrew school, tennis lessons, homework, doctors appointments, you get the idea. Mix that in with all the other craziness that goes on in an average adult life, and it’s a wonder we have time to even feed our kids, let alone remember to do so.
Whether we’re running late or doing a quick drop-off with babysitting grandparents, our family’s go-to dinner for the kids is, no surprise here, McDonald’s. Usually we’ll get each of them a McDonald’s Happy Meal, and then a 20-piece Chicken McNuggets for them to share.
Even Happy Meals have gotten quite an education over the years. Nowadays, you can nab a McDonald’s Happy Meal for just $2.99 (Score!) and choose from a number of wholesome side options for your kids including Apple Slices and Go-GURT Low-Fat Strawberry yogurt, not to mention 1% low-fat white milk, fat-free chocolate milk and 100% apple juice.
And later this fall, they’ll be adding Cuties clementines from Sun Pacific as a Happy Meal side option. I like it and hope McDonald’s keeps the fresh fruit coming!
I’d love to hear what Back-to-School Survival tips keep you going, and so would McDonald’s. That’s why they’re running a $25 Arch Card Giveaway! To enter, all you have to do is comment below giving me one of your personal Back-to-School Survival Tips.
What are your Back-to-School Survival Tips?
#McDGoesB2S
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Good to know it’s not just my grandsons that go through snack attack when they get home. Great tips!
I get as much done the night before as well, makes the mornings so much easier
We get up a little bit earlier to get our body ready for the day, eat a great breakfast and get dressed more casually. I think we do lose sleep sometimes though!