Calendar Reflection for a Calm Start to The School Year

And just like that, the end of summer is creeping near. Sunscreen bottles and beach towels by the front door will soon be replaced with backpacks and lunch boxes. The start of a new season always has a bit of exciting energy to it, but at the same time, I can’t shake the feeling of apprehension as our family prepares to dive into another school year.

Looking Back

I’ve started a habit of scrolling back to my calendar from the previous year to prepare for what’s ahead. This time last year, what was taking up our time? Did we have annual doctor appointments that I haven’t yet scheduled for this year? When did fall soccer kick-off? When is the open house to meet new teachers? Were we eating dinner later than usual because of sports practices?

Getting Organized

This usually triggers other questions that can help our family to get organized. Thinking about doctor appointments reminds me to get an updated copy of our daughter’s physical sent to her preschool. And my son needs a fresh, unexpired set of Epi-pens to be kept in the nurse’s office at school. Checking the soccer schedule from last year reminds me to see who needs bigger cleats this year. What school supplies do we have left over and what needs to be purchased again? How many canisters of Clorox wipes do we have on hand? I like to send each kiddo with one in their backpack for their classroom on the first day. The list goes on and on.

Traditions

Outside of the obvious things that take up residency on a calendar like appointments, I also look back to search for any traditions or markers that were important to us as a family. We like to read one of the Natasha Wing books from her “The Night Before The First Day Of School” series at bedtime before the big day. There are different ones for each grade of school. I should start hunting those books down from our library now. The kids hold a printable back-to-school sign for pictures each year on the first day of school. Do we need new ink cartridges in our printer to make this happen? Better check that sooner rather than later. And those first-day-of-school pancakes can’t happen if we don’t have the right ingredients. Better to stock up the pantry now than to be left scrambling the morning of!

Enjoying Those Last Bits of Summer

I also love how taking a look back can help us to refocus on the present. Summer days can roll by slowly, but at the same time, the months just zip by. A calendar check gives me that push to ensure we find time for the things that matter to us now.

The promise of a visit to a splash pad that just hasn’t fit into the schedule yet can get pushed to the top of the list. A few more dinners outside at the picnic table are worth the extra steps of carrying everything out and then in again. A quick trip to the store for a handful of lemons quickly accomplishes a summer bucket list item of making homemade lemonade. A bakery we have all been dying to try will become our next Saturday morning activity (we really do want to try the new allergy-friendly shop aptly called “The Bakery” in Pepperell!).

Why It Matters

All of this reflection helps our family to stay anchored a bit during a season of change. I notice what was difficult in the past and try to make it just a bit easier this go around. We are reminded of the special things we have done before and start getting excited about them again! And it helps to make sure these end-of-summer traditions are simply special and enjoyable, rather than burdensome.

Can you take some time now to reflect on last year’s back-to-school season? Is there anything that can help bring a bit of calm to an otherwise exciting yet hectic time of year?