How to Create the Perfect After School Routine!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Disney. All opinions are entirely my own. 

Being back in school has been a huge transition for us this year. I say this all of the time, but our schedules are just insane. With 3 kids that get out of school at different times and then afternoon schedules that vary per kid, our weeks are full, busy and EXHAUSTING! Needless to say, we are missing our summer days of swimming and movie watching!

After a few weeks of afternoon fails, I realized I had to start being more intentional with our time. The kiddos would get home from school and before I knew it, time passed and we had not even taken time to sit and breathe and just hear about each other’s days. Talk about a #momfail! 

I am not a super organized person and struggle with routine but, this summer we started making lists and they were life changing. So, because the lists worked for us over the summer, I figured a list plus a few other tips and tricks could transform our afternoons!

Here are the Top 3 Things we did to create a better afternoon routine!

Slow Down and Relax

This is mainly for me, Mama, the one who immediately goes into do it mode and shouts off orders for everyone and anyone in my way! The first and most important thing I had to do before transforming my kids after school routines was to look in the mirror and figure out what I could change. I realized that the majority of the chaos in our house after school was caused by me. Yep, me! The kids where getting home from school ready to debrief from the day and then here comes ole Monster Mom barking orders and trying to make things happen. Result? A bunch of upset kids and nothing getting done. My goal was to get everyone moving so we could get 1 million things accomplished but instead it backfired. Again, #momfail!

Choose Quick and Easy Snacks

Another way we transformed our afternoons is with our after school snacks! This may sound like a no brainer but we were coming home everyday and the girls wanted gourmet snacks and each had a different request. I am a busy mom and not a short order snack cook. This was not working for us! I got clever and hit up H-E-B and grabbed easy snacks that the kids love but can grab on their own. They love that they have a choice and I love that they are happy and my kitchen is less messy. Our favorite snack by far is the Disney Frozen® Snack and String Cheese! 

My girls LOVE string cheese. Put the cheese with Disney Frozen and it’s now a #momwin! You can find the Disney Frozen String Cheese in the dairy aisle. It is filled with calcium and protein and easy for after school. And if your kids are like mine, they will request if for their lunch as well. Tip- buy more than one bag!

Give them a Routine/Checklist

Like I mentioned before, checklists have made a huge difference for us. Like all kids, when my girls have clear expectations, they find it much easier to get things done. Our schedules are crazy and on any given night, I could have between 2 and 3 kids with different activities. But, we also have things we have to get done like homework, chores and most important of all…time together! I created this After School Routine/Checklist and everyday I print one out and post it on the fridge for the girls. The top 3 ALWAYS stay the same! The girls come in, complete the top 3 activities on the checklist and then tackle whatever I have added for the day. Yes, homework and reading always make the list but getting a wholesome snack and some time with them always comes first!

These simple tips and tricks really have transformed our time after school. I’m a happier Mama and more importantly, I have happier kids!

I hope these tips help to create more intentional afternoons for you and your family as well! 

You can find more tips for mom and kid’s activities at www.cheeseadventures.com .

Don’t forget to pin this post so you can remember it and enjoy it later!