I promised my biggest kid that I wouldn’t even mention the word to him until the month of August. He doesn’t want to go, and I can’t say that I blame him. School is on the way, and I don’t think that we are ready to get back to the routine.

I’m trying to make the transition back into a school routine easier… In a bit of a sneaky fashion.

• I’ve started off by rolling back the Summer bedtime for the kids. A little extra sleep doesn’t hurt, and I appreciate the extra quiet too.

• I’m also making the boys get up, dressed, and get going. Agnes is my early riser, and she wants to get ready as soon as her feet hit the floor. The boys would be content to lounge around in their pj’s for days and days.

• We are sneaking in reading where we can. Dylan is reading to Agnes a few times a day. This is getting her interested in school, sitting still, and improving early reading skills. It also keeps his reading out loud skills up.

• I’m holding off snack times… I’m trying to get their tummies back in sync with school hours. This year our school district is adopting longer school days, so I know the kids are going to be hungry. I’m also hoping that the school will add in afternoon snack time, because I know my boys get a little grumpy when they are hungry.

• Lastly I don’t drag my kids down the school supply aisles. I haven’t asked them about lunch-boxes, backpacks, or water bottles. We’ll get all that we are in need of when school is a little closer. No need to rush off Summer just yet.

I am a little excited about the return of the school-year. Agnes will be going to preschool, and this is the last year at both of the boy’s attendance centers. I hope we can start off the new year stress free, and ready to go.