Starting the School Year Strong
The school year is just around the corner for us moms! Technically, it’s our kids who are headed to class — but let’s be honest, it impacts us just as much. Our calendars, routines, and energy levels all shift around the school schedule.
With that in mind, here are four ways to start the year off right:
1. Cover the School Year in Prayer
So much happens in a single school year — for our kids and for us. New friendships are made, challenges arise, and growth takes place in both expected and unexpected ways.
Let’s cover it all in prayer. Ask God not only to help your children grow academically, but spiritually. Pray they make wise choices and form good friendships. Pray for yourself as well — that you would shine as a light to any non-Christians you encounter. Starting the year in prayer is the best way to place it all in the Lord’s good hands.
2. Schedule in Soul-Care
Early mornings, endless carpooling, and constant domestic tasks can make it tempting to let your spiritual disciplines slide. But if you’re not leaning into the ultimate source of strength, you won’t be the kind of mom, wife, friend, or daughter you want to be — or the kind God calls you to be.
So plan ahead. Decide when you will daily glean from God’s Word and spend time with him. Maybe it’s extra-early mornings, maybe it’s those quiet moments after school drop-off, or maybe it’s at night before bed. Whatever it looks like, make it part of your routine.
3. Create a Routine to Disciple Your Kids
Whether your children attend public school, private school, or homeschool, they need your spiritual instruction. Some of this should happen naturally and casually throughout the day (Deuteronomy 6:7). But it’s also important to set aside intentional time for teaching them God’s Word and modeling godly living (Ephesians 6:4).
Think through what works best for your family. Some parents gather at breakfast, others during an afternoon snack, some around the dinner table, and others at bedtime (what child doesn’t love staying up a little later?). However you structure it, make sure conversations about eternal things are woven into your routine. You will never regret that investment.
4. Prioritize the Most Important Things
As you fill up your calendar, be intentional about what you say yes to. Before volunteering for every opportunity, make sure your first commitments are in place.
That means prioritizing time with the Lord, discipling your kids, serving in your local church, investing in your marriage, maintaining godly friendships, and caring for your home. Once those are set, you’ll see what margin is left for other activities.
A Fresh Start
It’s a little like a new year — a chance to start fresh and consider new ways to move forward as faithfully as we can. If you focused on just these four things, your school year would already be off to a strong start: your priorities aligned, your spiritual strength renewed, your kids pointed toward what matters most, and your days spent exactly how God intends.
Let’s start the school year off right!