Feeling overwhelmed? Dealing with back to school overwhelm 2023 update

back to school overwhelm
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As you are reading this, you have probably just had a harsh wake-up reality call after a summer of slow mornings. You’ve been thrust into the craziness of the morning school routine. Soon you will be inundated by whatsapp messages from your class, bombarded with communications from the school office, drowning in a thousand things to remember as you desperate will your brain to get back into back to school gear. This, my friends, is classic backto school overwhelm.

While many like to think of September as a time of new beginnings, I like to think of it as….the biggest rude awakening out!!!

Seriously, that first week of back to school in September leaves you feeling as if you are constantly on the back foot as you struggle to get into the back to school routine and mindset. The struggle is real my friends!

What’s even worse is that on day one, you may miraculously feel all smug and organised but then trust me – by the end of the week you are falling apart at the seams. So cruel can the week be!

So it’s at this timely juncture that I wanted to share with you my no BS tips for beating the back to school overwhelm that so many of us will find ourselves this week.

Most importantly starting with….

We are not saving lives

OK sure we all want to feel like we’ve got this in life, and we can be SO harsh on ourselves when we are messing up. But the truth is, all those times we forget things and mess up are actually just so insignificant and really not worth beating ourselves up about. So if you forget something, or mess something up, or just feel completely chaotic and shambolic then just remember, we are not saving lives, and tomorrow is a new day.

Do the work but lower your expectations

This one sounds obvious but things are a lot less stressful if you’ve done all the prep, got all the supplies and schedules locked down (in the family calendar) in advance. Having a plan in place will ease your mind and keep you on track. That said, don’t set the bar too high. Lowering your expectations is the name of the game here. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Understand that it’s okay to ask for help and that you can’t do everything all at once. And that things almost always never go as planned.

Remember you are a great mum!

You – yes you – you are amazing! You have just gotten through the seemingly never-ending juggle that is the summer holidays and you have finally arrived at this point. So whatever happens during this back-to-school week, remember you are a great mum. Your children absolutely adore you and you deserve a massive pat on the back.

You don’t have to do it all alone

So much of life’s demands fall on our shoulders. The new school year is a chance to change that. You don’t have to do this alone. It’s ok to share drop-offs and pick-ups with a friend or neighbour or arrange for wrap-around care even if you are still working from home. It’s ok to vent at your friends and family when it all feels too much. It’s ok to get a cleaner because you can’t keep up with the constant juggle of working/being a parent/running a house. You don’t – and shouldn’t – have to do it alone. Ask for help wherever you can. People are usually more than happy to share the load.

Know the grass is not always greener

So what if that mum of three has managed to get her children out looking impeccable every morning? So what if the you know who mum from your class never seems to lose her mind on the school run? Everyone has their own battles, and just because their lives are looking all rosie and perfect from the outside, doesn’t mean that’s their reality. The truth is, we are all muddling along in our own way, and 95% of parenting is making it up as you go along anyway!

Remember failing isn’t failure

In the good old words of Winston Churchill remember this: “Success is not final, failure isn’t fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”. So no matter how bad of a day or week you are having, remember that the fact you keep showing up and plugging away when really you want to throw everything in the trash can is what matters.

Focus on the positives

Sure we can think about all the things we aren’t or didn’t do or messed up on. OR we can think about all the things we did do, or were, or got right. It’s your choice which way you want to let your mind go, but remember….we get more of what we focus on in life. So catch that negative inner chatter the moment it starts and knock it on the head.

Nail the practicals & delegate

You don’t want to have to be thinking about what meals to cook or what shopping to buy on the first week plan. Get some meal planning locked down – even better cook and freeze ahead if you can. If everything is feeling too much there are only so many hours in the day to get everything done – delegate-appropriate tasks to the kids. Done is better than perfect!

Do something for you

Over the summer holidays, it’s likely you have done precious little for yourself. Maybe you’ve got to this point feeling like you need a little holiday of your own! However you’re feeling, make sure you plan to do something just for you this week. Whether it’s taking a relaxing stroll out in nature by yourself, grabbing lunch or coffee with a friend, or soaking in a nice hot bath with a book for an hour. If there is no time for you this week, then go ahead and carve some.

Connect with other mums

Remember we are all feeling this right now! If you can squeeze in a quick cuppa within your school or local community and have a big old offload then do it. Sharing experiences and supporting each other through this transitional period can be golden.

So mamas….take a deep breath and know that just like every year, all you need to do is hold on tight for the bumpy road ahead and soon you’ll be cruising again!

People photo created by wayhomestudio – www.freepik.com

8 comments

  1. Some great points here – My Sister is currently going through this for the first time so i’ll make sure to share this post with her!

  2. I love the first week of back to school but you’re right, there can be pressure to feel like you have to do everything.

  3. What I love about your perspective is you are always about positive vibes. There can be back to school panic and I’m sure many parents reading this article will appreciate it, as they know that they are not alone and there are some sound suggestions too x

  4. Be the best you can be – if that’s a lot less than your perception of perfect some days then be real about it Personally I think that’s the best example to set for growing minds. No-one is the finished article.

  5. The never ending to do list & after school activities, I have a 5 & 15 year old so they have different things going on, it’s a tad overwhelming some days haha

  6. Last minute growth spurts stresses me out about the back to school period! I can be super-prepared and buy the childrens uniforms well in advance, and then… boof ….. they have nearly outbrown them on the day they go back!

  7. What stresses you out about the back to school period?
    The worry of getting phone calls from the school about our youngest who has been struggling in school and keeps getting into trouble.

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