From Pool Days to School Days

The shift from slower summer days to busy Fall schedules can be tough for families. Last October, the Rethinking Success group invited families to schedule their lives intentionally rather than comparing to external benchmarks or the performance of others. Identifying your family's values can help you prioritize which activities fit in your day. We invite you to take a few minutes to revisit how to identify your family values by reading our article titled "Does your family activity level feel out of control?"

With many events and activities competing for your family's attention, sleep can lose priority in a busy schedule. The transition from one season to the next can be an ideal time to prioritize sleep for parents and kids. Rethinking Success has two short articles that explain the importance of sleep and how to design a day that allows you to wind down properly.

Sleep, Stress, & Success – Part One

Sleep, Street, & Success – Part Two

Don’t have time to follow the links in this article? – here are 3 tips to help your family create a mindful schedule

1.      Identify a healthy baseline of activities for each family member.

A teenager who drives may be able to play a sport, work a part-time job, and handle their schoolwork. A preteen may need rides to each activity, the number of activities they can do each week will depend on how much time the parent has to provide rides.

2.      Identify your priorities.

Family dinner on weeknights might be something you value and do not want to compromise. Maybe your family is okay with busy weeknights but wants to spend Saturday or Sunday doing an activity together. Think about what matters to you and make those items non-negotiable.

3.      Lastly, be flexible.

Families change as kids grow up. What mattered most to you when your kids were toddlers may not be the priority for your middle schoolers. Allow yourself and your family to adjust as your kids grow up.