Hacks To Help You Survive Fall Youth Sports Season
Moms, it’s that time again. The busiest time of the year!
Back-to-school time means the return of another fall pastime: youth sports. If your kid plays, you know how hectic that can be and if you’re struggling to stay on top of homework and everything else while you’re at practice and games all the time, you’re definitely not alone. According to She Knows, these hacks can help you survive fall youth sports season.
Meal prep – Parents of youth players joke that dinner has to be either at 4:30 or 9:30 since you’re not home in between. Some nights you’re grabbing something on the way out the door, other nights you’re hitting up a drive-thru on the way home, but if you can squeeze in some time to meal prep on the weekends, you’ll have some quick and easy things to throw together in the crockpot or oven as another option.
Work on the go – Create a mobile “homework station” to keep in the car for your player and siblings. It can be a simple plastic bin with pencils, erasers, scissors, paper and basic supplies so the kids can do their homework on the go.
Get help with the littles – Sitting through all those games and practices can be tough for little brothers and sisters, and that can make it hard for you to watch your kids play. So if you want to be fully present in your big kid’s life, there’s no shame in getting a babysitter for your younger kiddos.
Keep the staples on hand – Having a few key items in the car so you have them anywhere you go can help a lot. Things like Band-Aids, sunscreen, bug spray, dry ice packs and wipes will get used again and again, so stock up.
Food is also a must – It’s tough to keep your eyes on the field when your other kids – or you – are hangry. That’s why snacks and drinks are another must-have for practices and games. And be prepared to share because chances are, there are other little siblings who are in the same boat and will be much happier to sit through a three-hour game with some munchies and a juice box.
Avoid over-scheduling – Being realistic with your time is the best way to survive the fall sports season and that may mean saying no to signing your kids up for activities they want to participate in. Education expert Alanna Gallo points out that it’s important for kids to have downtime so they can play rather than just go from one adult-led activity to another. “Play, even through middle childhood, is one of the best ways for kids to learn,” she explains.
Source: She Knows
