Things I Can't Say

Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom

Back to School Routines, Nutrition, and a Giveaway

We’re trying to get back into the school routine. Summer spoiled us with its lack of a schedule. Not that my boys ever really slow down, but during the summer, they can choose to move on their own time.  

Now it’s back to having to get out the door for school on time in the morning, homework, and soccer, running, and karate practices. I’m trying to establish routines so we’re not late all the time. Up and have breakfast, then take their vitamins, then upstairs to brush teeth, and get dressed in outfits that have been picked out the night before. Back downstairs for shoes and backpacks (which have been packed the night before). Then it’s out the door.

lil critters

After school, it’s put your shoes in the basket beside the door so we can find them later, then have a snack, then right to homework. Then it’s off to whatever practices or games we have that night, then back home for the boys to shower while I make dinner. Eat dinner, have a little bit of down time, then it’s time to get ready for bed.  

I already miss summer. 

With all this running around, I want to make sure my kids are getting the nutrition they need. Actually, not just the kids, but me, too, since I’m the one having to keep up with my active boys! My boys take L’il Critters™ Gummy Vites™ Complete as part of their morning routine and I take vitafusion™ MultiVites PLUS Hair, Skin & Nails Support*.

vitafusion

L’il Critters™ and vitafusion™ make nutrition taste good by combining vitamins with a great-tasting gummy. They believe that healthy habits should be enjoyable so that you’ll keep on doing them. It’s working for my boys: just check out our video!

They LIKE taking their vitamins so if I happen to forget in the morning rush, they will remind me. With a fruity flavor and gummy texture, vitafusion™ and L’il Critters™ gummy vitamins make taking your daily vitamins easier and more enjoyable, since you don’t have to worry about hard-to-swallow tablets or capsules. There’s no need for water, so if you only remember on your way out the door, you can still take your vitamins.

vitafusion™ and L’il Critters™ offer a robust portfolio of vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements to meet health needs through every stage of life.  It is tailored to meet the specific health needs of children, men, women, pregnant women and those 50+.

In March 2014, vitafusion™ launched its PLUS line to support overall wellbeing while focusing on specific health areas*. The new products include:

  • vitafusion™ MultiVites PLUS Digestive Support*
  • vitafusion™ MultiVites PLUS Heart Support*
  • vitafusion™ MultiVites PLUS Hair, Skin & Nails Support* (which I enjoy taking every day)
  • vitafusion™ MultiVites PLUS Immune Support* 

 

All vitafusion™ and L’il Critters™ gummy vitamins are made with natural flavors in the USA and can be found at places like Target, Walmart, Walgreens, and Costco.  You can find out more information here.

What tips do you have for getting into the back-to-school routine?  Leave an answer in the comments below and you will be entered for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card! 

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

I received free product and payment for this sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine.

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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

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Comments

  1. Start a new schedule for getting up in the morning and going to bed, a few weeks before school begins, so it is not hard on the first day.

  2. Pre-prep as much as you can- clothes laid out and ironed for the whole week, lunches made the night before.

  6. Start early with shopping for things needed, so can get on sale. Make sure if there are anxieties, to address them, for instance, if it is a new school, stop by and check it out on the weekend, go to any orientation.

  7. I try to have all the kids school uniforms ready for the week by Sunday so I’m not scrambling in the morning

  8. Start waking up early a week before school starts so it’s not such a shock when the alarm clock goes off that first day!

  9. I try to do as much as possible the night before, but I’m making many lunches in the morning this year. My biggest tip is to time your family getting out the door so you have the actual time it takes to get out the door.

  11. My tips for getting into the back-to-school routine is starting a week or two before school starts getting them to bed early, getting there clothes ready and supplies they need, and reviewing school stuff with them.

  12. I have been looking for something to help with my nails and hair, I will have to try these! Thanks for the post!!

    My tip is, every day (or every other) – go through each back pack to make sure there isn’t any stray papers piled in the wrong binder, the bottom of the bag or hiding in a book. My kids lose homework like you wouldn’t believe!

  14. Start going to bed earlier in the weeks before school starts, and arrange a school tour if you’re new to the area.

  15. My daughter has not started school yet but will be next year. I plan on getting in the routine by waking up early one week before classes start.

  19. I like to prepare lunches when I cook dinner or right after since I am already in the kitchen. Also I sit down with my kids every night to discuss home work assignments, so nothing gets forgotten,

  20. We get as much prepared the night before. Clothes are set out. Backpacks put together. Paper signed, etc. We also wake with enough time to get ourselves together and not be rushing around.

  21. Have all school clothes and everything ready the night before. Get big new wall calendar with plenty of writing space to plan things out.

  22. About a week before school starts, I used to get the kids to start going to bed early. That way it isn’t such a shock to their system on the 1st day of school! And from then on, consistency is the key!

  23. make a list of breakfast items that the kids like so its not a struggle figuring out what to eat every morning

  24. My kids love those vitamins too, they take their before bed. A part of our getting into a good back to school routine is to make sure we have a place for everything, they have their homework slots, a place for their backpacks and lunch boxes, and then getting them back in the habit of putting the things away in the right space, so that way we are never hunting for anything.

  25. I think it’s helpful to get the kids to bed about 10 minutes earlier each night for about two weeks before school starts to ease them into an earlier bed time.

  27. I have my son pack his backpack up each night so he isn’t running around in the morning and rushing.

  31. Have as many easy breakfast items on hand as possible. Also, tailor the routine for the child. One of mine has to take his meds, then get dressed, then come back for breakfast. While the other messier eater eats first and then gets dressed. It’s a pain for me, but it works.

  33. Start at least a week before school starts to set the bedtime/wake routine so they are used to it by the time school begins.

  34. I always try to make sure a week before school starts that my kiddo knows how things will be different during the school year. She is very free spirited and enjoys doing what she wants, so I make sure we sit down as a family to go over school year bedtimes, expectations, etc. She is a 6th grader so its a little different than when she was younger. I wish i could get her to go to bed earlier the week before!

  37. About a week before school starts, I would have the kids go to bed and wake up at the times they would for school. That way it isn’t such a shock to their system!

  40. We try to prepare whatever is possible the night before. We get the backpacks ready, clothes ready and do whatever else that can be done the night before.

  41. My back to school tip is start getting your child back into the school schedule a few days before school starts by getting on a regular bed and wake up schedule

  42. My best tip is to pick out the clothes the night before and have the backpack/lunch ready to go.

  43. Best tip? Go to bed on time! Nothing worse than waking up tired, knowing you have an entire day to get through.

  44. My tip is to rely on calendars and organizational products so you can easily keep track of school and after school activities and to prepare for school the night before by picking out clothes and making lunches so you have time for a good breakfast in the morning and you and your kids aren’t as flustered/rushes.

  48. Start having the kids go to bed early and get up early a week or two before the start of the school year.

  52. Start adjusting sleep schedules a few weeks before school starts and then get as much ready the night before so each morning will go easier and faster.

  69. Do as much as you can the night before. Lay out clothes, pack lunches, make sure backpacks are packed and are waiting by the door.

  70. I taught my kids to make their own school lunches, but I would set out non-perishable items the night before along with carry-along containers. Saved time and hassle in the morning.

  72. Start working on your routine a couple of weeks before school starts! It helps to get all the kinks worked out and gets everybody adjusted!

  76. My tip for getting back to school ready is to make sure to start the schedule the week before. Always get as much preparing done the night before!

  77. A couple of weeks before school starts, I have the kids go to bed and wake up at the times they would for school.

  80. Starting a week or two ahead to get back into the routine, then it becomes easier when it actually time

  83. Have everyone start the new routine at least a week before they actually need to, that way they will be in the habit of waking up and getting ready when it counts!

  85. I always try to get us started in the routine a couple of weeks before school starts, so the adjustment is slower and easier!

  86. Our bedtime schedules go totally whack over summer break, so I start slowly getting my son into a bedtime routine about 2 weeks before school starts. If he gets enough sleep everything else seems to go smoothly.

  88. My tip is to do as much prep for the next day, the night before. Make lunches, prepare clothes, etc.

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  89. I would have to say make a routine of going to sleep at the right time to get them used to it and eating properly.

  90. I get things ready the night before as much as possible to help the mornings go easier.
    cshell090869 at aol dot com

  91. Have them start reading more so they get back in the habit of processing information and also definitely make sure that the kids go to bed early!

  92. start your routine a few weeks before school starts. it takes 40 days to form a habit so start early and dont give up or change it!

  94. Tips that work for us are having a schedule and sticking to it. Organization helps too. Making sure backpacks are packed the night before and shoes are located before bed so they don’t need to be hunted for in the morning.

  99. My tip for being back to school ready is to get the kids in the routine of getting up earlier again about a week before school starts. They also have probably been used to staying up late so back to reinforcing that bedtime. That was the hardest thing for my son was to go to bed again at 8 PM instead of 9 PM like he can during the summer.

  100. Make sure book bags are packed and ready to go by the door the night before. I also make sure all clothing is laid out and ready with their shoes by them so make things run smoother,

  101. We plan and organize as much as we possibly can the night before each school day. It helps make the mornings easier.

  102. I make sure clothes are all laid out including shoes, backpacks by the door and showers are taken the night before.

  103. My children are no longer in school, but I always planned to be up at least 30 minutes ahead of them in the morning. That gave me uninterrupted time to make breakfast and pack lunches (if I hadn’t done it the night before) and to check to make sure everything is in the backpack.

  105. Start with the mornings to get back into the school schedule. Start waking up early, and in a few days, bedtime will be back on track, too.

  106. Start routine with the night before. After homework, dinner and bath, we get clothes and backpack ready. Quiet play or reading before bed. Mornings go pretty well once everyone is awake.

  107. By planing on going to bed earlier and having everything ready to go in the morning before they go to bed.

  108. We start implementing bed time schedules a few weeks before school start so the kids can get used to of the routine

  113. i used to get everything ready the night before – also it was good to practice our new schedule a week or so before you have to

  115. i Keep my kids on the same daily routine whether they’re going to preschool or not. This helps to keep their energy and moods at an even keel.

  122. About 3 weeks before school starts I start getting them up earlier and going to bed earlier. I am very organized in terms of clothes, school supplies etc.

  123. Get as much ready the night before as possible, complete outfit, everything needed for school, etc. set out to make things quicker and easier in the morning.

  124. Start shifting your kids on an earlier schedule the week before school starts. When school does start get into a routine like making lunch and picking out clothes the night before so there is more time to get ready in the morning.

  125. I think it has been covered about going to bed early and prepping the day before. I will add practicing with an alarm clock with the kids to get them used to getting up on their own. This will aid them later in life so even after they are in the work world it will help them get used to getting up with that loud noise.

  126. Getting them back on schedule a couple week before. Getting everything ready the night before. I freeze breakfast burritos and breakfast sandwiches and defrost in fridge over night.

  127. My tip is to do everything you can at night before you go to bed, pick out clothing, pack book bags and lunches.

  128. The week before school begins we start going to bed earlier and rising earlier. We pick out clothing and shoes to make outfits for the week ahead and get all backpacks organized and by the door ready to go.

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  129. A couple weeks before school starts I get my boys back on their school time sleeping schedule.

  130. I stay as consistent as possible. Bedtime is always the same, so is the waking up time. I also have all of our meals at pretty much the same time.

  131. We start getting back in the routine be having earlier bed times and getting readjusted to the school time schedule.

  132. I try to prepare the night before by making lunches and making sure clothes are ready. Makes everything go much easier in the morning!

  133. We chart the things we need to do and analyze what is not working at the end of the week. It helps keep us on schedule and allows us to make changes that will move things along smoothly after.

  135. I always get as much as I can get done the night before. This makes it much easier in the morning.

  137. We get everything ready the week before and then throughout the year get everything done the night before like lunches and outfits.

  139. Start going to bed earlier the week before school starts so it is easier to get into a routine. I highly recommend packing lunch and picking out clothes the night before to save time in the mornings.

  142. Definitely get things ready the day before. You never know what the morning may bring so planning ahead can help with any roadblocks to get out of the door on time.

  143. We got the kids their own really cool alarm clocks this year, and at setting those each night is exciting and helped get us back into the school routine easier.

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