How We’re Resetting Our Routine After the First Month of School
…Because something had to give.
By the time we hit six weeks into the school year, I realized something had to change.
The first few weeks were fine - we were riding that back-to-school excitement wave. But lately, everything’s been… a lot.
Mornings felt rushed (even though my kid doesn’t sleep and gets up between 5:30 - 6:00 AM), afternoons were chaos (and tears), and everyone, me included, was tired and cranky.
And with some personal changes happening too, I knew getting back to a routine wasn’t optimal anymore… it was survival.
Here’s what we’ve shifted, and what’s actually helping.
Slowing down our mornings (no more screen starts)
For a while, our morning has started with Curious George or Bluey (because again, sometimes I just needed a couple extra minutes to sleep or catch up from my early riser). Once school started, it stayed - it gave me time to get dressed, pack lunch, and drink some of my coffee luke-warm.
But as soon as it was time to get moving? Meltdown city. Nobody wanted to get ready (“After this episode!”).
And it was slowing down our ENTIRE morning. It was a race against the clock… and the clock always won.
So here’s what we’re doing differently now:
No screens first thing (and no judgement if you do). Instead, we check the weather together, talk about what we should wear and pick out clothes, and ease into the day.
I set out crayons, markers, and a sketchpad (sometimes with some matching or letter practice if I remember the night before) so there’s something calming and creative to do while I get breakfast or dressed.
Breakfasts are prepped in batches. On weekend mornings, I prep large batches of pancakes or muffins, a pan of bacon, and slice fruit. Then, during the week, I just need to pop a pancake into the toaster, and plate it up with fruit or a yogurt, and/or some bacon.
We get dressed before “going downstairs.” No distractions, no last minute rush to get changed if breakfast takes long, and no uh-oh where are my socks the 2 minutes before we need to leave. Getting dressed is now one of the first things we do, not the last.
Lunch elements are also prepped ahead. Fruit is sliced Sunday and mid-week. Cheese and veggies are sliced (this is my secret to slicing a block of cheese in under a minute and cute crinkle cucumbers). Snack are bagged for the week for grab and go.
Honestly? Our mornings feel slower, happier, and somehow we’re getting out the door earlier than before.
Protecting our afternoons (because it turns out, we both need it)
The 3–5 PM window used to be my “catch up on work” or wrap things up time… but all it really did was leave both of us overstimulated. Now I treat that time as sacred: it’s his time.
After pickup, we grab a snack, decompress, and either play a game (these are some of our favorite preschooler board games) or do a craft - something low-mess like watercolors, playdough, or a clearance craft kit I’ve stashed from Michaels.
Around 4 PM, we shift gears for dinner. This is my “prep and play” time - he helps rinse veggies, stir ingredients, or just hangs nearby while I get things ready. And sometimes, yes, this is when I use screen time if I need to finish a few things or give us both some space before dinner and bedtime.
To make dinner less stressful, I’ve been doing a crockpot protein once a week — pulled pork, shredded chicken, etc. It’s easy to repurpose into two or three meals, so dinner still feels fresh without starting from scratch every night.
Let the evenings be imperfect
This one will leave some moms in shock and honestly, I am someone who held the nighttime routine as SACRED… but our nighttime routine has actually gotten a lot more lax… and that is the beauty of toddlers growing into pre-schoolers.
After dinner, my son’s chore is bringing the dishes to the counter, and wiping the table. Then, we pick out a game to play as a family or do some coloring. Some nights its a bath, otherwise it’s a 10-minute tidy, stories, and bedtime plus a podcast. Depending on how the day went, determines the flow… and that’s okay.
What I’ve Learned
Sometimes “resetting your routine” doesn’t mean an overhaul.
It’s swapping one thing at a time that isn’t working — the screens, the rushing, the unrealistic expectations — for something that actually feels better.
We’re 1.5 months into the school year, and I can finally say our days feel smoother, calmer, and more us.
Want to Try This?
Start with just one swap this week - maybe it’s breakfast prep or afternoon connection time.
Don’t chase perfect. Chase what feels doable.
And if you need a little help keeping the kids busy while you reset?
→ Check out my screen-free toy list and preschooler board game favorites here on Benable.
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