By Molly Gold

I have to confess that I have always LOVED school!  No matter how old I got, I couldn’t wait for the first day of school each year, having enjoyed a wonderful summer at home playing with the freedom we now work so hard to recreate for our own children.  As I got older, it was the smell of new books and the chance to color code my folders, spiral notebooks and pens with every subject that kept me awake later than I needed to be.  I loved to learn, I loved to be involved, and yes, I was a cheerleader for the better part of five years.  But no, never made it to the Homecoming or Prom Court, so let it end there!

Now as a Mom of three busy kids, I still can’t bottle my excitement as August takes hold and the countdown begins.  Of course, our middle school aged sons have no end of reasons why I am totally crazy because school cannot possible be as awesome as I continue to tell them it is.  I know…what can you expect from boys this age?  Baseball and swimming are tough competition and I can’t blame them one bit for wanting to linger just a little longer in the lazy days of summer.  So I gently nudge them along by including them in the activities requiring their participation, such as purchasing school supplies and new clothes, as I channel my excitement to my own back to school preparations where there are countless opportunities for me to color code and organize to my heart’s content.

I know…a little OCD I’m sure.  But it’s me, same as it’s ever been, and there are five things I’ve come to depend on as key steps I need to set into motion each Fall to ensure we all can put our best foot forward for a great year ahead.  They may seem obvious, but each one of these suggestions is a pillar to my well organized schedule and home once school returns to our days.  Each on its own tackles a daily process that always needs to be managed.  Taken together, these five steps will save you time, lower stress for everyone in your family, and protect your pocketbook by living efficiently and prepared for each day ahead.  Challenge yourself to get started now and have all five steps in place by the first day of school for your family this fall.  You’ll love the way things work…I promise!

Use a Family Calendar System - A Mom-oriented planner is your roadmap to success because its portable and comprehensive format enables tracking of all family members schedules in one place. You can monitor commitments and schedules to look for hot spot days that need reorganizing to make things more manageable. You can protect time for both your family and yourself by blocking it as a non-negotiable priority. And you will harness your time to keep it consistent with your values and goals.

Time for Technology - Even for the most technically challenged Mom on the block, time saving solutions are just a flip of the switch away. Brave the new world and tackle one process at a time. Use tools like TiVo to capture the best TV programming out there and enjoy TV on your time. Sign up for online bill pay with your bank and you'll never be late again. Upgrade to a cell phone with photo capabilities and you'll always catch that championship game and brilliant smile of triumph in style. Keep in touch with family and friends with an online slideshow at One True Media.  The list goes on of how today's technology makes tomorrow less stressful. Choose what fits your family and enjoy!

Nightly Necessities - Plan ahead every night by taking a few minutes to ready yourself and your children for the next day. Lay out clothes, pack back packs and briefcases, make lunches and sign paperwork, and most importantly, set the alarm and the coffee pot to rise earlier than needed so you can be ready to direct a smooth morning. You'll give everyone their best shot at a peaceful, happy day ahead by getting started without a rush of stress.

Homework Stations - When it comes to kids and projects, your best offense is a great defense. Encourage independence and designate a work station for your kids to do homework and projects and stock it with age appropriate supplies. Keep doubles of everything on the required supply list for the grade and get extra credit by having interesting arts and craft items, report folders, and plenty of poster board. Provide a calendar for your children to refer to for important deadlines and work with them to map their workload into manageable chunks. Project management is a lifelong skill worth teaching and mastering.

Car Pool Champion - Whether it’s your daily car pool or weekend activities, restock your car daily with necessary items, such as sports equipment for players and entertainment or portable homework desks for siblings along for the ride. Encourage your kids to use different bags for each activity and charge them with reloading the bag for fresh supplies each time they empty the dirty ones. Join the crowd and have a portable file box to tote any items you can work on while waiting in line, in a dance studio lobby, or on the sidelines during practice. This is found time you can use wisely to free yourself later in the day for full family focus. Now that's a goal worth achieving!