Mom Life, Unfiltered: How to Keep Your Sanity as a Mom During Back-to-School
Welcome to my newest blog series, Mom Life, Unfiltered. In this series, we’ll explore all things motherhood—the good, the bad, and the downright hilarious moments that come with raising tiny humans. This is a place for support, laughter, and maybe even a few tears when you realize you’re not alone and yes, all kids do that weird thing your son has been doing lately.
Welcome to the Twilight Zone
All aboard the emotional rollercoaster… next stop: Kindergarten.
Back-to-school season feels like a weird fever dream where you’re expected to do a million things while pretending it’s no big deal. There are the school supplies, the Pinterest-worthy first-day outfits, and the desperate attempt to squeeze out every last drop of summer before everything goes back to “normal.” It’s a lot.
I have four kids—two are my older stepchildren, and historically, back-to-school didn’t hit us too hard since they’re usually with their mom during that time. But this year? This year our son is heading off to kindergarten… and it’s a weird place to be emotionally.
We’ve gone from daycare drop-offs and flexible schedules to a stricter school routine, complete with actual summer breaks and “parent pick-up” lines. It’s a whole new world.
The Chaos Is Real
Getting ready for school is basically a full-time job:
Buy the supplies (and try not to lose your mind over the $30 calculator).
Label everything.
Provide 10 boxes of tissues because your kid’s last name starts with “S.”
Schedule doctor appointments and make sure all vaccinations are updated.
Decide if you’re packing lunches or letting them eat the questionable mystery meat.
All while trying to hold onto the final slivers of summer and your mental health. It’s fine. Totally fine. We’re fine.
You’re Not Alone
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a back-to-school noob like me, we’re all just trying to survive. And hey—what’s the acceptable number of tears I can cry when my son climbs on that school bus for the first time? Asking for a friend. (It’s me. I’m the friend.)
Mindset Tools That Actually Help
When the back-to-school supply list says ‘red only’ and Target is sold out.
Let’s be real: you’re no help to your family if you’re spiraling because you can’t find a red folder… and apparently, math must be red and only red. (Who made that rule?)
Here are a few simple mindset tools to keep you grounded when things get chaotic:
Grounding Routine: Before the day starts, take two minutes to plant your feet, take a few deep breaths, and set your intention.
Breathwork: When you feel the chaos creeping in, pause for a “4-4-4-4” box breath: inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4.
Realistic Expectations: You’re not Martha Stewart. And that’s okay.
Baby Bites of the Elephant: Tackle one thing at a time. You don’t need to organize the whole school year today.
My Sanity-Saving Tips
I’m still new to all of this, but some of the tools I’ve used to survive early motherhood and daycare chaos are definitely coming with me into this next season:
Lay out clothes the night before (for everyone).
Embrace the slow cooker and 15-minute meals.
Don’t schedule anything after school for the first week (or two).
Done is better than perfect. Let go of the Pinterest board in your head.
Remember, we can have this perfect vision of how back-to-school should go… but kids don’t always follow the script. If that photo you planned doesn’t turn out because someone dumped yogurt on themselves, it’s fine. Take the picture anyway. That’s the real memory.
You’re Doing Great (Even If You’re Not Packed the Night Before)
You are doing amazing—even if it’s two days before school starts and you haven’t bought a single supply yet. That’s why Amazon Prime exists, right?
This transition might include frustration, fears, tears, and everything in between. It’ll be messy, but it’ll be okay. And maybe your kid has a blue folder for math. Sorry, teacher.
Grab Your Freebie
I put together a Back-to-School Sanity Saver just for you—a space to brain-dump, plan, and feel a little more on top of things (or at least like you’re not alone in the chaos).
Share With Us
Do you have kids heading back to school this year? What grades? Did any of these tips help you breathe easier? Got some sanity-saving wisdom for the rest of us?
Share in the comments below or send me an email—I’d love to hear how you’re doing.
XOXO,
Jessica
The back-to-school noob