The Arena Newsletter: Issue 30

The Arena Newsletter

Issue 30 | August 20, 2020

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." ― Arthur Ashe

New School Year = New Routines

Are you in back-to-school mode yet? To us, a new school year is more of a new year than the ACTUAL new year (sorry, January). It's not just getting ready to start new grades, but also new routines and responsibilities, which means it’s time to sit down as a family and decide what you want from the school year. Morning routine? After-school routine? Once you have your new routines, keeping them consistent is key. One strategy is to set alarms on your watch, phone, or home device to keep everyone moving from one task to the next.

A Fresh Start

With the beginning of the new school year nearly here, things are probably looking much different than they have in the past. Sure, you’ll still have to buy the requisite school supplies (pencils, notebooks, folders, etc.), but you’ll probably have to stock up on some virtual learning supplies as well (goodbye home office, hello home classroom). But on top of all that, this year also means an entirely new level of planning on your part. The start of a new school year is always chaotic, but if you have a system in place to help you manage some of your stressors, you may be able to free up some time to be able to help your child manage his or her own stress about starting a new grade (or school) while also balancing online and in-person learning.

Parent/Teacher

We know the stress of managing the first week of school. But how are things looking for you? Yes, YOU. The parent. Work stress compounded with the chaos of a new (at-home) school year can cause a back-up in your schedule. At-home haircuts, no after-school activities, and no playdates limit your free time. Projects tend to get pushed back in order to fit in supervised learning, making lunch, and outdoor playtime, among a mounting list of everything else we now do.

In the Arena

It is a constant battle to fit all of your responsibilities into a single day or week. Keeping track of everything can be especially daunting if you don’t have a good system to get things off your mind and into action. The Arena App can help with this part, and it is FREE to download in the App Store! Download it today, and see how Arena can help you keep on top of all the back-to-school stressors while also navigating your commitments with ease.