Setting the stage for a healthy, happy back to school season

This post is sponsored by Clorox, but all opinions are my own!

As the first day of school approaches, I can't help but sit back and reflect on the kids’ previous FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL. I remember feeling super excited for my oldest daughter’s first day. As a lot of you know, Aya is gifted and she was craving a social and learning atmosphere that she just was not getting being home with me. Of course, I was sad my little partner in crime was leaving me but there comes a point when you just know they are ready and she was well beyond that point. My son's very first day of school wasn't as easy. I've mentioned it multiple times on the blog before but if you are new here my son is Autistic. School can be overwhelming and be overstimulating for some kids on the spectrum. My son is one of them. Learning a new classroom, getting comfortable with a new teacher, and being in a room filled with students meant he could take months to adjust and this was happening every year! Until last school year, his fourth-grade year was where it all changed.

We switched schools, started our back- to- school routine about two weeks before school actually started, and tried to prep him as much as possible. Now, while I was over- thinking everything and having a slight mom-attack (you know that small panic attack moms have when making life-changing decisions for our children), getting ready for this new adventure King actually surprised us all! He had the best first day back to school ever! This was the first time in his entire school career that he didn't have a complete meltdown. Back- to- school usually meant crying fits during morning drop-offs, followed by dried- up tear stains during pick up. I was heartbroken seeing that evidence of his school day meltdowns lingering on his little cheeks. It took a few years and trying many different things but one thing I've learned over the years of parenting him is that routine is everything! Knowing what comes next in his days helps ease anxiety and helps his days go smoother. This also applies to our daughter as well; all of the kids thrive better when they have a routine. With that being said, we tweaked things here and there and their back to school routine was born! 

We readjust bedtimes, make sure everyone has a morning routine that works for us all, we attend orientation so the kids can meet their teachers before the BIG DAY (sometimes they even get to meet a few classmates), and make sure all our back- to- school shopping is done. We also have a tradition of making sure our spaces are clutter free and clean the day before school starts and that also helps a lot. I'm a firm believer that a clean space helps make for a clear and calm mind and sets the stage for a happy, healthy school year. Thank you to our friends over at Clorox for helping us to keep up with this tradition. I'm completely confident that the first day back to school will be just as successful this year because we will be kicking off the new school year with Clorox to help us maintain a disinfected, clutter-free, clean house which will give us clutter-free minds and a fresh start!

Random but does anyone else send 

Clorox disinfecting products to their kids’ teachers?? 

They're number one on my list because there are so many germs in the classroom and I want to make sure the teacher has the supplies she needs to make the space a healthy, germ-free classroom so the kids have fewer sick days, and more time spent learning and experiencing new things.

#momproblems

In fact, teachers need more than just Clorox Disinfecting Wipes for back to school. This season, join Clorox in supporting www.donorschoose.org, which allows teachers across America to create projects and request resources students need to enable first moments in their classrooms. For every $5 spent on qualifying Clorox products purchased, you earn a $1 reward and The Clorox Company will donate $1 to classrooms in need through DonorsChoose.org. That’s a win-win!