STRESS!!!!!! Big time, major STRESS!!!! That is how I am feeling these days. On top of dealing with selling our condo and buying our house, I have to deal with back to school time.
I had hoped that this year would be a wee bit easier when it came to back to school time, but I was wrong. So wrong!
Both of my kids are in high school this year. Our daughter is a Junior and our son is a Freshman. This is the first time in many years that both of my kids are in the same school at the same time. Not only that they are riding the bus together. Up until now they went to different schools and got on/off the bus at different times. As a parent I feel better knowing that my kids will be together when they get off the bus just in case I am not home. I always worry about my kids walking home from the bus stop alone in a busy condo/townhome complex.
This year could have been easy, but selling our condo and buying a house an hour north from where we currently live means that our kids have to switch schools several weeks after it’s begun. It’s hard enough moving to a new school. I think entering a new school weeks after the school year started makes things even harder.
Normally I have faith in my daughter that she can easily make friends and by the end of her first day she’d have a new best friend or two. For some reason I worry that it won’t be as easy for her this time. She’s going to be scared and nervous entering a new school and not knowing a single person. Even though she’s a friendly girl, I think this is going to be rough.
I’m especially worried about our son. He’s a loner and super quiet to begin with. I’m worried that going to a new school is going to be the hardest on him. He’s had a hard enough time mingling with kids he’s gone to school with since Pre-K. How is he going to have the courage to interact with kids he doesn’t know?
I actually worry about him being bullied. That is my worse fear.
SOME of last year’s school supplies for just two kids.
We are moving to a nice development. I hope that there are some nice boys and girls there who will quickly become friends with my kids. That would make me feel A LOT better. Until then the stress is triggering some major headaches.
My husband is the one that usually suffers from migraines. Lately I think I am also experiencing those dreaded headaches. Whatever I have been getting lady have been a lot worse and more powerful than regular headaches. The ones I am getting now knock me out!
I hope that these headaches disappear as soon as we close on our condo and then our house and get moved in, as well as know that my kids are going to be OK in their new school. Once things settle down I hope these stress induced headaches are just a faded memory.
Did you know that 44% of parents polled in a recent survey said that they expect to get a headache during the back to school season. The survey was completed by the makers of Excedrin, which indicated back-to-school sentiments from a group of 229 American parents with at least one child attending school this year.
I’m actually surprised that the number is not higher. Even if you are not moving, or have children switching schools, the entire back to school season can be very stressing.
In the very same survey, one third of the parents polled will get a headache from just school supply shopping. I can see why. Between helping your kids find the “must have fashions” to checking off the list of the endless (and expensive!) school supplies you need. It’s a crazy time for everyone!
Additionally, more than one third of parents say getting themselves and their children back on a schedule is at the top of the list for possible headache triggers. That is a big issue with my kids right now. They are used to texting away until all hours of the morning. It’s impossible to get them to “disconnect” from their phones, TV and computers to get back into having a nightly routine. Normally the need to be in bed by 9:30. This year we’ll allow them to stay up until 10:00 PM. However that is going to be difficult since they are used to staying up to 2:00 – 3:00 AM.
Since back to school time is a stressful time, Excedrin has created the Help Your School Excel with Excedrin sweepstakes.
FIVE lucky winners will win $10,000 for their child’s school. The funds can be used for upgrades, supplies or anything else they might need.
Did you know that 85% of parents think their schools are in need of new equipment and supplies? You can count me into that equation. I feel the same way about my kid’s school. It seems like each year they have less and less supplies. From pencils to computers and from software to gym equipment, most schools are in dire need of funding. In our school we need $$$ for extra help for students who need it. At once point my kids were able to get extra math help before, during or after school. Now there is no money for that. If our son needs help we have to hire a tutor. Tutors around here charge $50/hour or more!
My daughter WAS in an advanced art program but budget cuts cut out the program entirely. I wish they had the money to start it up again.
The Help Your School Excel with Excedrin Sweepstakes runs from August 15, 2013 – September 15, 2013. If you would like to enter please visit the Excedrin Facebook page.
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Runs 8/15/13 at 9:00:00 AM CDT to 9/15/13 at 11:59:59 PM CDT. Must be 18+, a legal resident of the 50 U.S./D.C., & have a valid email address & Facebook account. See www.facebook.com/excedrin for rules. To enter for free, hand-print your full name, address, phone number, date of birth, email address, and name of school, and mail to: “Help Your School Excel With Excedrin® – Free to Enter”, PO Box 11387 South Bend, IN 46634-0387, postmarked by 9/16/13 and received by 9/23/13. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Novartis Consumer Health, Inc.
To help make back to school time a bit easier for you, I have a special Excedrin giveaway for a lucky reader. The prize package will help the winner stay organized, hydrated and migraine-free as they adjust to hectic schedules and spend increasing amounts of time on-the-go. includes:
- 2013-2014 Academic Planner and Pen
- Magnetic Memo Board
- Aluminum Tumbler
This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on September 14, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and have three days to reply or a new winner will be chosen in their place.
To enter please comment on this post and tell me how you try and minimize the stress from back to school time?
For extra entries you can use the Rafflecopter widget (below) but you must complete the initial entry requirement or the additional entries won’t qualify (I do check). Extra entries are optional.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kimberly
*I am a paid Excedrin ® Migraine blog ambassador, however all the opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
I try to get plenty of sleep.
by using a central calander
use post it notes to list things for next day and place on refrigerator plus use calendar to list events that are coming up
We write everyone’s activities on a calendar. We try to make decisions about what activities we will do several days in advance so everyone knows what is expected of them.
I minimize my stress by making sure everyone gets plenty of sleep, and Cammomile tea before bed.
I try and get into a schedule as soon as possible… and plan everything that I can ahead of time (esp. lunches and dinners).
Sleep and yoga are the best stress relievers for me.
I try to get plenty of rest and I try not to procrastinate and wait till the last minute to do things, which is always stressful.
Keeping a schedule!
Shop for supplies and clothes early and get plenty of sleep.
I’m a teacher. It’s pretty difficult to minimize the stress, but I make sure to stay organized and manage my time the best I can.
I try to minimize stress by staying positive and not procrastinating!
alot of sleep and chamomile tea
I have one in public school and I homeschool the other so I made the decision last year that Fridays are a free day so I still get to keep some of my sanity .
Written daily schedules
To minimize stress prepare as much as possible the night before
Plan ahead to avoid the last minute rush for school supply shopping.
We reduce stress by being prepared.
I try to list down all that is needed a month before so that there is no cramming for time in prepapration
I try and get everything prepared the night before.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com
We plan everything out for the whole first week!
I try to go to at least one of my grandchildren’s football games or tennis matches to help their mom out.
Take a hot bath and drink tea.
lots of painting and wine 🙂
We sleep early so my daughter would wake up on time for school. 🙂
We make sure the whole house is clean and everything is put away so that we know were to find it in the early morning rush.
I plan ahead and have everything ready ahead of time!
I try to get plenty of sleep and I make lists 🙂
I make sure we all get plenty of sleep and when I get a chance I take a warm bubble bath with a few drops of lavender oil.
i make lits or else i forget and my kids got that from me. we have to plan ahead.
do your homework the night before and put it in your binder.
I try to plan ahead and be prepared the night before. I also stock up on supplies that I expect to be needed for projects throughout the year.
We make a point to be ready the night before with everything that can be completed so no rushing in the morning.
I lay everyting out the night before and start getting back on a bedtime one to two weeks before.
extra sleep
Plan ahead and stay positive.
I make sure I have time to relax every day.
I unschool so I am lucky to not have to worry about this !!!
I really try to keep homework on a schedule everyday.
I try to minimize the stress by having everything prepared the night before so everything is ready to go in the morning.
follow on bloglovin’ melina ramirez mramirez999
Always use a calendar and don’t procrastinate – when those slips come home from school – fill them out and put them right back in the backpack!
I write everything down in a planner
I don’t wait till the last minute to buy school supplies.
I try to shop all though the summer getting school supplies and clothes so that I am not stressing out last minute
I try to minimize the stress by keeping a regular schedule of exercise and sleep.
I try to get an early start with shopping and morning routine.
i get their clothes ready the night before
Try to take naps if I have the time.
By staying positive and plenty of sleep
Make sure everyone’s activities are on the calendar on my phone and set reminders.
Make lists and take naps!
I try to keep everything organized.
I exercise daily which helps me to minimize stress.
I try and minimize the stress by being as organized as possible from planning lunches days in advance to making sure the night before that each child has checked their backpack to make sure they have everything they need for the next day.
I follow you on Bloglovin
I follow you on Bloglovin’!