Back To School Means Early-Morning-Wake-Up Call

It’s that time of year again — back to school.

Kids may not be happy, but moms are most likely thrilled to get organized, prepared and back into a routine.It can be difficult to put a schedule in place after a summer of sleeping in, staying up late, hanging out at the pool, and just relaxing.If this sounds like you and your family, here are some great tips to get you started:* Breakfast is essential. During the summer, both moms and kids experience inconsistency. To help get everyone back in a routine, work on a consistent breakfast time. Remind kids that if they don’t eat, lunchtime at school will feel an eternity away. Quick and easy options for the most important meal of the day include cereal and milk or apples or bananas with nut butter. If you’re looking for diversity, Malt-O-Meal brand cereals come in more than 30 varieties — something for every taste bud in the family.* Order the school supplies online. Who has time to run all over town, stopping at four different stores for items on the list? Order what you can online and save time and money. Many stores offer back-to-school sales and everything will be delivered to your door.* Over the weekend, get groceries and meal prep done for the week. You can help yourself by chopping up produce, making soups and casseroles to freeze, and assigning portions to containers.* Reevaluate what your kids can do or contribute to. Kids are perfectly capable of helping out: based on their age, they can make their own lunch and snacks for school, put laundry away and take out the trash and recycling.Sometimes, there are good lessons to learn, too. For example, the Malt-O-Meal cereal bags from breakfast can be recycled through a free program in partnership with TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based recycling company. Through the Malt-O-Meal Cereal Bag Recycling Program, you can ensure that none of it ends up in the landfill. And the bonus? It’s a great way for kids to get involved.So think about what your kids and family can do to help you during this school year. They are able to do more than you think. Be organized, plan ahead and get that school routine in place so the rest of the year is a breeze.