Back to school for most parents could either be a joyous occasion or it might possibly be an overwhelming experience.  Take it from a mother of four, if there is not some form of organization present at all times there is sure to be lots of crazy mornings and stressful evenings in your future!  I've never been able to call myself a neat freak or Ms. Holly Homemaker, but I am always striving to improve my organizational skills.

With my one year old going to daycare, five year old going to kindergarten, eleven year old going to sixth grade and a step-daughter that is going to ninth grade(she doesn't live with us but we play an active role in her education!), I had to devise a plan to keep me on track!  Having a routine or a schedule is the key to keeping everything in order and making sure that every child accomplishes everything they have to get done for that day, so I have constructed a morning schedule for each child and myself.  For the five year old until he is able to read he has a picture schedule. 

We will all start out with a ten minute workout (stretching and breathing mostly),  They all have checklist to mark off their task as they complete them.  We will also have other time saving things that we will do such as ironing and laying all clothes out the night before, arrange bath kits complete with towel, wash cloth, underwear, toiletries and pajamas to take baths at night, and designate a location to put all book bags, lunch boxes, lunch money, signed papers, etc. to eliminate the last minute shuffle before we walk out the door. 

There will also be an evening routine or schedule with a checklist for each child.  Evenings tend to be the most chaotic in all households, especially those with multiple children.  This schedule will be very detailed so your children won't be able to say they didn't know.  It might include snack time( with healthy prepared snacks), homework time( in a designated well lighted location with little to no distraction), chores( you might want to create a checklist for each individual chore to make sure that it is done correctly), extra- curricular activities(sports, dance, clubs,etc. always load the car w/equipment the night before or the morning of each activity). 

Make dinner time a family affair if possible.  Assign each child a role in the preparation of dinner.  This not only teaches them to cook but it also gives them pride in eating what they have prepared.  After dinner it's mom or dads time to check homework and checklist to make sure that everything has been done.  I know it sounds like a lot but it's really mostly maintaining a routine more that completing a routine daily and I'm convinced that once we have done it for about a month it will be second nature to all of us and results, short term and long term will be extraordinary!