There’s living simply, and there’s trying to live simply when you have children. While it’s definitely more challenging to simplify your life when kids are in the picture, it is possible! With back-to-school time approaching, here are some simple ways to avoid the stress and headaches that often times come with the hustle and bustle of back-to-school:

1. Before school and the extra-curricular activities begin, sit down with your family and create a calendar. By typing “time organizers” into a search engine (e.g., Google), you can find several tools and templates to help you organize your time and family.
• Together, you can decide how many after-school activities are reasonable for your kids. Frenetic schedules are no good for anyone and lead to burnout and exhaustion.
  
  
• Let your kids choose from no more than one or two after-school activities per quarter and make sure they fit with everyone else’s schedule in a comfortable way.
  
  
• Don’t forget to allow time for regular family dinners and at least one day a week with no scheduled activities.
  
  
2. Re-set your summer schedule two weeks before school starts. Unstructured schedules are one of the nicest aspects of summer, but remember to give your kids a little lead time in re-setting their schedule for school.
• Gradually ease them back into an earlier bedtime by having them go to bed a little earlier each night until they’re back on their school schedule.
  
  
• To facilitate an earlier bedtime, follow the same program and wake them a bit earlier each morning.
  
  
3. Set a back-to-school clothing budget and shop online. No doubt most parents have endured clothing arguments with their kids in the middle of a store. This year, set a budget before shopping and then try shopping online.
• The relaxed environment provides the perfect opportunity for you to discuss your budget, and show your kids how to get the most for their money by shopping intelligently, such as buying mix and match clothing, comparison shopping at different stores, and searching for good sale items.
  
  
• Many stores offer discounts for online purchases, because overhead is low online.
  
  
• If you do shop online, patronize stores that offer free returns or free shipping.
  
  
• Consider holding off on some purchases until after school starts, so your kids can see what’s “in” and what’s “out.”
  
  
4. Set up a school stall. Simplify your morning routine by designating a basket, table, or shelf just for school-related paraphernalia such as permission slips, homework, lunch boxes, keys and library books.
• Put the stall in a place near the front door, so your kids can easily toss their school stuff.
  
  
• Each evening, visit the stall to sign permission slips, check homework, re-fill lunch boxes, and put it all back - ready for your child to pick up in the morning.
  
  
5. Stay connected with your family using cell phones or pagers. Despite your best efforts at simplifying your family’s schedule, there are times when you’ll still find yourselves running in opposite directions more than you might like.
• Connecting electronically provides a useful and simplified way to keep track of your family.
  
  
• Your kids will learn to be responsible by checking in when they’ll be late, or when their plans have changed. Cell phones also come in handy when your child has missed the bus and needs a ride home.
  
  
• Take advantage of One Number Service (ONS). This will allow your kids to reach you any time, anywhere, on your home number. You’ll no longer have to worry about missing a call and/or having to wait at home, as with ONS, your home number will be routed to your cell phone in a few simple steps.
  
  
6. Open up your phone line. Schools increasingly assign homework that assumes families have an Internet connection. Here are two ideas that can help:
• Sign up for a high-speed Internet connection. This will allow you to be online, while leaving your telephone line free.
  
  
• Take advantage of wireless home-networking if you have more than one computer in the house. Such services allow two or more computers in your house to be online at the same time, and if you have a lap top, the system allows more mobility – from the kitchen table to the bedroom to the couch.
  
  
• Once you have the technology set-up, visit the school Web site (if available) to determine what school supplies will be needed for your children and what their schedules will look like.
  
  
7. Make a lunch idea list. If your kids pack a school lunch, you know how daunting it can be to come up with creative, healthy lunches your kids will eat.
• Before school starts, go to your computer and type in “lunch ideas” in a search engine.
  
  
• With your child, make a list of about 10 menus. Tape the list onto the inside of a cupboard door in your kitchen for easy reference.
  
  
• Immediately purchase all of the non-perishable staples so you’ll have the basics on-hand.
  
  
8. Assess the bottlenecks in your family life. Beyond getting rid of clutter, you’ll also want to take time before school starts to assess the areas that cause the most chaos in your family’s routine.
• Is commuting a time drain? If you can’t find a school within walking or biking distance from your home, then start early by setting up carpools or identify school bus routes. You can ask the school for a roster and call families in your neighborhood.
  
  
• Is dinnertime a problem? Surf the Internet for easy, fast dinner ideas, and then figure out ways to involve your whole family in meal preparation.
  
  
• If your morning routine is rushed, talk to your family about ways to make it easier on everyone. Ideas include packing lunches the night before, and making easy nutritious breakfasts.
  
  
• Try to plan meals a week in advance so you only need to make one trip to the grocery store.
  
  
9. Hand off the laundry chores. If your kids are at least 10-years-old, teach them to do their own laundry.
• Buy each of your children a laundry basket, then show them how to do laundry.
  
  
• Children learn quickly that if they don’t keep up on their laundry, they have nothing clean to wear to school.
  
  
10. Streamline your home now. The lazy days of summer disappear in a huge rush once school starts, so take time now to organize and simplify your home.
• Get the family together and have everyone spend 30 minutes clearing clutter from one room.
  
  
• Set a reward for finishing the 30 minutes – perhaps a trip out for ice cream or an evening at a movie theater.
  
  
• Whatever isn’t done in the 30 minutes - pick another day when you can do another round.
  
  

Brought to you by Qwest Communications and Janet Luhrs. Janet Luhrs is author of The Simple Living Guide and Simple Loving, and editor of the newsletter, Simple Living. For more information, visit www.simpleliving.com.