Ditch the Drama: Back-to-School Without the Breakdowns

The school year is coming — cue the eye rolls, early alarms, and wardrobe negotiations. If the thought of getting your family back on schedule gives you a tension headache, you’re not alone. But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be so chaotic. With a few unconventional tricks (and a little attitude), you can solve the back-to-school morning confusion and disorganization while keeping your sanity intact. This can be the year you run the schedule instead of letting it run you.z

3 Ideas to Reduce Back-to-School Stress

The Pajama Commute

Do a trial run. Start your school morning routine a week early, but here's the twist: do morning drills in PJs. Wake everyone up, go through the motions (breakfast, packing bags, finding shoes), and then… relax. It's a practice run without the pressure. Kids get used to the rhythm, and you get to spot the chaos before it becomes real.

Carpool Karaoke Contracts

Make morning rides less groggy and more groovy. Let each family member pick a pump-up playlist and take turns being DJ. Bonus: kids who complain about waking up early don't get to choose the tunes. It's amazing how fast they'll rise for a little Lizzo.

The Weekly "Un-Schedule"

Instead of cramming every minute with productivity, block out "do nothing" time. Label it. Make it sacred. When kids (and adults) know there's time to decompress, everything else feels more doable. Permission to chill is often the best time-management tool out there.

From Survival Mode to Your Happy Place

Still feeling like the stress monster might win? Dr. Gary Sprouse, known as The Less Stress Doc, says it's not just about routines—it's about mindset. He helps families shift from overwhelmed to empowered using tools like the Worry Organizer, Realistic Optimism, and a simple 4-step process for letting go of guilt and regret. His message: a peaceful home starts with a calm mind.

Want to learn how to help your family spend more time in their Happy Place this school year? Dr. Sprouse's book Highway to Your Happy Place: A Roadmap to Less Stress just won the 2025 IPPY Gold Award—and it's packed with strategies for parents who refuse to resign themselves to living stressed out.