Edition #235 | Read time: 5 Minutes
Hi Mamas,
Excuse us...didn’t summer just start?!
Apparently, back-to-school season has entered the chat.
We know it’s still a few weeks away for some of you, but for others, the first day of school is practically around the corner. NOBODY PANIC, OKAY?
Our girl Ronsina said what we’re all thinking. 😂👇
We've rounded up a few ideas to help prepare hearts, homes, and hectic mornings as we transition into another school year.
Let's do back-to-school together. 🤍
Enjoy!
—The Carry™ Team
This week in The CARRY™ ALL, we’re talking about:
🤍 For the Kid (or Mom) Feeling a Little Anxious
💬 The Conversation Worth Having Before School Starts
🎒 Back-to-School Hacks That ACTUALLY Save Time & Sanity
As always, this is a space for our Carry™ community to connect with each other. Leave a comment and keep the conversation going. And, we bet there’s another mama that would love The Carry™ All in their inbox, too. Pass on the love!
New teachers. New routines. New classrooms. New expectations.
Back-to-school can bring excitement...and anxiety. If you have a child who’s feeling those big emotions (or maybe you’re carrying some yourself), you’re not alone.
Our friends at Raising Boys & Girls shared a few simple ways (HERE) to help kids step into a new school year with a little more confidence and a little less fear.
A few takeaways we loved:
🤍 Create a goodbye ritual. A special handshake, a phrase you always say, or a quick prayer before drop-off can provide the consistency anxious kids crave.
🎒 Send a connection object. A bracelet, small token, or little reminder from home can help younger kids feel connected throughout the day.
🌟 Give them something to look forward to. It doesn’t have to be big. A favorite snack after school, a trip to the park, or reading together before bed can remind them there’s something good waiting on the other side of the school day.
🎧 Want to go deeper? Their podcast episode, Two Things to Know & Prepare Boys, Girls & Parents for Going Back to School, is full of practical encouragement for navigating this transition together.
If you’re anything like us, back-to-school can bring out your inner control freak. 🙋♀️
We’d love to handpick every friend our kids make, protect them from every hurt, and guarantee they always choose kind people. But the truth is...we can’t.
What we can do is help shape the kind of friend they become and give them the wisdom to recognize healthy friendships.
And yes, we know. If you’ve ever lived with a middle schooler, getting them to engage in a conversation can feel...optimistic. 😅
This week, try making it a little more fun. Write these questions on slips of paper, toss them in a bowl, and let everyone take turns drawing one around the dinner table.
A few to get you started:
💛 What makes someone a good friend?
💛 How do you know when someone makes you feel safe?
💛 What would you do if someone was sitting alone?
💛 What should you do if a friend asks you to do something that doesn’t feel right?
💛 Who is someone you hope to encourage this year?
These little conversations today often become the inner voice they hear tomorrow.
🤍 Bonus: This post also shared some great tips for helping kids navigate friendships this school year. We’ve linked it for you below.
As working moms, our motto is always work smarter, not harder. Here are a few ideas to actually make back-to-school a little easier.
👟 Swap in no-tie elastic laces. Worth every penny!
💦 Keep a spray bottle for morning hair. Pro tip: Add a few pumps of detangler.
👕 Plan outfits for the week. A hanging organizer or labeled bins can eliminate the daily “What am I wearing?” debate.
🎒 Create a drop zone. Give backpacks, shoes, water bottles, library books, and permission slips one designated home near the door.
🤖 (Our favorite tip) Let AI read the school emails. Set up a Gmail filter to automatically forward school emails into a Claude Project, then ask Claude to send you a weekly summary of important dates, reminders, and action items. No more missing spirit days or buried sign-up links.
🍎 Keep an emergency breakfast bin. Stock it with grab-and-go favorites (protein bars, dry cereal or granola, mini muffins, etc.). On the mornings everything goes sideways, breakfast is one less thing you have to think about.
A new bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate aims to help more Americans gain access to paid family leave by supporting states that expand their programs.
Why it matters: For working moms, paid leave isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s one of the biggest factors in whether families can care for a new baby, recover from illness, or support a loved one without sacrificing a paycheck. While this bill is just one step in a much bigger conversation, it’s encouraging to see bipartisan momentum around an issue that affects so many families.
Want to read more about this? Check it out HERE.
Do you remember when “Girl, Wash Your Face” was everywhere?
Consider this your CARRY™ version: Girl, take the PTO day. 🤍
We know it can be hard to step away, and there’s always one more email, one more meeting, or one more thing to do. But if you have the opportunity to take the day, don’t wait until you’re completely burned out to use it.
We’re always looking for little ways to lighten your load, and this is one of them. Instead of hunting through old posts, we’ve gathered our favorite products, exclusive discount codes, and tried-and-true recommendations all in one place. You’ll find it all HERE.
New! Each week, we’re also adding a collection with the exact links featured in that week’s edition of The CARRY™ ALL. So if something catches your eye while you’re reading, you’ll have one easy place to find it again HERE.
If you choose to shop through one of our links, thank you. It helps support The CARRY™ ALL and allows us to keep creating free encouragement and practical resources for working moms. We appreciate you being here. 🤍
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