How is your evening routine working for you?

My kids start school in 2 weeks. We’re starting to get back into our routines after letting things get a little lazy around here (except bedtime. I hold tight to bedtimes when I can). I’m not a night owl and believe in sleep, so unless our kids are having a sleepover or movie night with friends, we stick to our bedtime routine.

So today I want to talk about evening routines. What does yours look like and is it working for you? Think about your evening routine during the Fall semester of school as you keep reading.

Do you fall into bed after an evening of running from one activity to another, frantically figuring out what’s for dinner, wrestling kids into the bath, cleaning the kitchen, and wondering what tornado just raced through your living room?

Think about where you can streamline tasks and how everyone can work together to make this happen. Remember, it’s not all on you!

Make a list of everything that needs to happen each night.

• What can you do at night to make the mornings run smoother?
  • Run the dishwasher?
  • Get a load of laundry in the dryer?
  • Make lunches?
  • Pack bags?
  • Pick out clothes for the next day?

Get everyone involved. My kids prep their lunches at night. One helps clean up dinner while the other feeds the cats (and they trade each day).

Prep as much as possible on the weekends. Especially if your weeks are hectic with sports and other afterschool activities.

Tag team with your partner. Prioritize activities and tasks.

If your evenings feel chaotic, think about everything that’s going on. Are there activities that you can say no to? Can you cut back on activities anywhere?

And, where possible, sit and be present with your kids. Giving them even 5 minutes of focused attention early in the evening helps them feel connected to you. And it just might make the evening run a bit smoother!

If you want to figure out how to make your routines easier, let’s talk.