Winter Garden Magazine August 2018 | Page 26

SECRET WEAPONS MOMS USE TO COPE WITH BACK- TO-SCHOOL CHAOS F or moms, back to school means transitioning back into routines filled with more activities to shuttle kids and their friends to and from, more homework to keep track of and more chaos to deal with at home. But with a little preparation and an arsenal of secret weapons, moms can get through it, even if it’s simply sharing strategies so they know they’re not alone. other responsibilities late at night after kids are in bed. In fact, 61 percent have stayed up until midnight or later to finish chores or responsibilities they couldn’t complete during the day. More than 1 in 4 moms have stayed up until 2 a.m. or later. Nodding off at work. Late nights can take a toll on moms who need to be up and “on” in front of coworkers during the day. Half of working moms concede they’ve been so exhausted from lack of According to a new survey of 1,000 U.S. moms sleep that they’ve taken a nap at the office, and one- of children ages 3-17 by third of them confess to Wakefield Research, 85 taking on-the-job snoozes percent of moms agree more than once. that pizza is their go-to meal when their kids’ Sanity-keeping strategies. friends come over, not Moms turn to many only because the kids love it, but because it’s an strategies to minimize essential to keep on hand the daily crisis at home. Their most common ways for last-minute plans. are prioritizing what’s important (81 percent) Here are some of the and posting lists such as other ways moms say they cope with everything chores and to-dos (73 from household chaos to percent). More than a third (34 percent) look to mealtime madness. mom blogs for tips. Who needs sleep? Send help now! Some Unfortunately, most moms end up turning a moms handle chaos during the day and revisit blind eye to what’s under 26  | WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2018 BPT the surface - literally. Nearly a quarter (24 percent) admit they can see just half or less of their floors clearly, meaning parts of the floor that aren’t covered with toys, paper or furniture. Moms crave help so often, nearly half (48 percent) agree they would choose a full day of housekeeping and caretaking versus a full day of spa treatments. Defusing dinnertime drama. Pizza is more than a convenience; it’s a peacemaker. Eighty percent of moms believe pizza would quiet their kids quicker than an air horn; 65 percent agree having pizza to give their kids at the end of the day is just as relaxing to moms as wine; and more than half concur it is one of the only things that settles mealtime mayhem at home. For example, Red Baron pizza is a meal everyone in the family can agree on, providing one less battle to get everyone through the school year. One delicious slice at a time. To learn more, visit redbaron.com.