If you’re anything like me, August feels like standing at the starting line of a marathon with one shoe untied, an energy drink in one hand, and a to-do list that somehow grew overnight.

It’s that time again: Preschool Week in the classroom, new sports seasons for the kids, and a shiny new fall schedule that looks so organized on paper… until real life kicks in.

The Teacher-Mom Balancing Act

There’s a special kind of energy (read: chaos) that comes with being both a teacher and a mom this time of year. On one side, I’m greeting new students, setting up my classroom, and mentally reviewing lesson plans. On the other, I’m making sure my own kids have the right bags, uniforms, water bottles, and snacks before we rush out the door.

Some mornings, I’m switching between explaining math strategies to my 4th graders and mentally calculating if I can make it to hockey drop-off and still get dinner started before bedtime. Spoiler: some nights, the answer is “drive-thru.”

The Pull of the New Fall Schedule

Every fall, the calendar gets a personality of its own—color-coded practices, parent meetings, work events, and the all-important note to myself that says “buy more energy drinks.” I want to be there for everything, but I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that saying “yes” to everything means saying “no” to my sanity.

This year, I’m trying something different: protecting white space on the calendar. A night with no practices? We keep it that way. A weekend without games? We keep it slow. I’ve realized my family needs those pauses just as much as I do. 

Keeping the Balance

If you’re staring down a jam-packed fall like me, here are my non-negotiables to maintain balance:

1. Protect Your Mornings – Even 10 minutes of peace and quiet before the chaos can change your whole day.

2. Meal Plan Lite – Not every meal has to be Pinterest-worthy. Breakfast for dinner (a favorite), crock pot meals. 

3. One Sport, One Commitment Rule – Every kid gets one activity at a time. It keeps the driving, scheduling, and mental load manageable. I mean I do have four kids so this is kind of laughable, but could you imagine if they did more than one. 

4. Guilt-Free No’s – If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit. Period.

5. Something Just for You – A book, a walk, a hobby—yes, you’re busy, but you’re also a human who needs recharging. I have something in the works just for me and I think I got the hubby to participate. 

The Reminder We All Need

At the end of the day, my kids won’t remember whether I answered all my emails the same night or if dinner was perfectly planned. They’ll remember if I sat with them after practice, laughed at their stories, and was present—even if my hair was still in a messy bun and my teacher bag was still in the car.

This season, I’m giving myself permission to show up as the mom, the teacher, and the me who doesn’t run herself into the ground trying to be everything all at once.

Here’s to a fall full of learning, laughter, sports, family time, and enough balance to keep our hearts—and our calendars—full in the best way.