Epi #24. Tips to Start This School Year on the Same Page with Your Spouse

Tips to Start This School Year on the Same Page with Your Spouse

Hello, Cycle Breakers, and welcome to September! With back-to-school in full swing for most, if not all, of us with school-aged kids, we thought it’d be fitting to dedicate the entire month to all things school-related. On today’s episode, we discuss the importance of getting on the same page with your spouse when it comes to school, extracurricular activities, etc. We’ll share our tips for helping to make it as seamless as possible, while maintaining respect for one another.

What You & Your Spouse Should Discuss About Back-to-School

• Which type of school environment is preferred: traditional, religious, private, homeschool, Montessori, etc.

• What are the non-negotiables regarding school?

• Who’ll get the kids up and ready in the mornings?

• Who will prepare breakfast, bagged lunch, and school snacks?

• How will the kids get to school?

• Who will pick them up in case of an early dismissal or emergency?

• How will the kids get home after school?

• Who will prepare the after-school snack?

• What will the afternoon/evening routine look like?

• Which extracurricular activities will the kids join? Who’s responsible for drop-off/pick-up?

• Who will help with homework?

• Who will cook dinner and clean up afterwards?

• Who will get the kids ready for bed?

Benefits of Being On the Same Page with Your Spouse About Back-to-School

Discussing the above, ahead of time, takes the guess-work out of the daily routines. In turn, you’ll be less stressed, better able to think clearly, and more proactive than reactive, so that you can better handle any unexpected events. Plus, when everyone knows what to expect, the predictability creates a sense of safety, which is especially important for kids. Also, creating a routine helps cut down bickering for the entire family, especially between you and your partner. Your kids can sense when there’s tension in the household, so it’s important to support one another in your areas of weakness and allow the other person to take over in their strong areas. 

If disagreements arise, wait until you’re both emotionally regulated, and able to give one another your undivided attention, before approaching your partner and discussing the issues respectfully. Remember, you’re also modeling how to problem-solve in an emotionally mature way, using healthy dialogue/behaviors, for your children. This is an especially helpful and useful skill that will come in handy when the kids are tired and “hangry” after a long day at school. 

Takeaway

Remember, the duties you agree to take on to help facilitate a smooth weekday/school year aren’t set in stone. There will be times where you’ll have to pivot to find what’s working and what isn’t. That’s more than okay and expected. It’s all about trial-and-error, teamwork, and keeping respect at the forefront.* 

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HIC Parenting’s, On the Same Page workshop, is an amazing digital resource for couples who are looking for a collaborative approach to parenting. You can access it by clicking the link below:

On the Same Page Workshop