Surviving September: Getting Back Into the School + Dance Routine
Every September, I somehow convince myself this year will be different.
We know the schedule.
We know what dance season looks like.
We have done the school mornings, the packed lunches, the late nights at the studio, the homework in the car, the snack bags, the water bottles, the missing dance shoes and the frantic texts asking, “Wait, what time are you done tonight?”
We should be professionals at this by now.
And yet...
September hits and suddenly the entire family is exhausted, someone is crying over homework, dinner is happening at a completely unreasonable hour, the laundry is multiplying faster than I can wash it, and I am questioning how we ever manage to do this for an entire school year.
Welcome back to dance season. 😂
The truth is, getting back into a school and dance routine is an adjustment every single year.
It doesn’t matter how old your dancer is.
It doesn’t matter how many years they have danced.
It doesn’t matter how organized you are.
It doesn’t matter how many color-coded calendars you own.
Summer operates differently. Sleep schedules change. Meal times change. Responsibilities shift. Then suddenly we are asking our kids to wake up early, spend an entire day at school, complete homework, get to the studio, train for several more hours, eat somewhere in between all of that and somehow still get enough sleep to function the next morning.
That is a lot.
So before anything else, here is your September reminder:
Give yourself some grace.
Give your dancer some grace too.
You are all adjusting.
Protect Sleep Whenever You Can
Sleep is usually one of the first things to take a hit when school and dance start back up.
A dancer who was sleeping later during summer may suddenly be waking up hours earlier for school while still dancing several nights a week.
That adjustment can be rough.
Not every night will be perfect. There will absolutely be nights when homework takes longer than expected, rehearsal runs late or someone suddenly remembers at 9:47 PM that they have something due tomorrow.
But sleep still needs to be part of the conversation.
Sometimes that means saying no to something extra.
Sometimes it means letting a nonessential task wait until tomorrow.
Sometimes it means recognizing that your dancer is not being dramatic or lazy. They might simply be tired.
And honestly?
Sometimes the dance mom needs to go to bed too.
Feed the Dancer
And while we are at it...
Feed yourself.
Dance families become masters of eating on the go, but the first few weeks back are usually when I remember just how much planning it takes to make sure everyone actually eats.
Keep easy options around.
Protein.
Fruit.
Granola bars.
Crackers.
Cheese.
Sandwiches.
Whatever your dancer will realistically eat between school and dance.
This is not the season for creating a Pinterest-worthy snack box every single afternoon.
Fed is good.
Hydrated is good.
Something you can grab while running out the door is sometimes exactly what you need.
And yes, dance moms also need dinner.
Coffee and the handful of fries you stole from your kid do not technically count.
Probably.
Prep What You Can the Night Before
There are few things more chaotic than realizing five minutes before leaving that the required dance shoes are not in the dance bag.
Ask me how I know.
When possible, prep the night before.
Dance clothes.
Shoes.
School bags.
Homework.
Water bottles.
Snacks.
Anything that can eliminate one decision from the morning or afternoon rush helps.
Because 6:45 AM me should not be trusted with anything important.
Put Everything on the Calendar
School events.
Dance classes.
Rehearsals.
Competitions.
Costume deadlines.
Appointments.
Team events.
Performances.
Family obligations.
Whatever system works for your family, use it.
Digital calendar.
Paper planner.
Giant command center on the wall.
Three different calendars and a prayer.
The system matters less than having somewhere everyone can look and understand what is happening.
Because once dance season gets rolling, the question is rarely, “Do we have anything happening this weekend?”
The question is usually, “Which thing are we supposed to be at first?”
Expect Everyone to Be a Little Tired and Cranky
This might be one of the most important reminders of September.
Your dancer may be exhausted.
You may be exhausted.
Their siblings may be exhausted.
Everyone is suddenly operating on a much more demanding schedule than they were a few weeks ago.
That does not necessarily mean something is wrong.
It might simply mean everyone is adjusting.
Give it some time before deciding the entire school year is doomed.
Make Space for Decompression
Our dancers are busy.
School all day.
Dance for hours.
Homework.
Friends.
Family.
Responsibilities.
Sometimes kids need a minute where nobody is asking anything from them.
Not another stretch.
Not another assignment.
Not another reminder.
Just a little time to exist.
That may look like sitting quietly in the car.
Watching something ridiculous on their phone.
Taking a shower.
Reading.
Lying dramatically across the couch like their life is over.
Whatever works.
Downtime matters too.
Check In With Your Dancer
We ask dancers a million logistical questions.
Do you have your shoes?
Did you finish your homework?
What time are you done?
Did you eat?
Did you fill your water bottle?
But sometimes the most important questions are different.
How are you feeling?
Are you overwhelmed?
Are you having fun?
Is there anything you need?
Does anything feel like too much right now?
The beginning of a new season is a great time to check in beyond the schedule.
Let Some Things Slide
This one is for the parents.
Your laundry may live in baskets.
Dinner might come through a drive-thru.
There may be dishes in the sink.
Your car may contain seventeen water bottles, three hair ties, a random jazz shoe and approximately four pounds of crushed Goldfish crackers.
It is fine.
Your house is allowed to look like people live there.
Your life is allowed to look busy.
You do not have to perfectly manage every single part of your family’s life while everyone is adjusting to a new season.
Give Yourself Grace in September
This might be the biggest lesson I have learned after years of doing this.
September is an adjustment.
Every. Single. Year.
You would think eventually we would stop being surprised by it.
But our kids change.
Their schedules change.
School gets harder.
Dance gets harder.
Responsibilities grow.
Bedtimes shift.
Friendships change.
Family schedules change.
What worked perfectly last year may not work at all this year.
And that is okay.
You are not starting over.
You are simply learning what this version of your family's routine looks like.
Give yourself time to find it.
Give your dancer time to find it.
Eventually the dance bags stay packed.
The calendar starts making sense.
Everyone figures out when homework needs to happen.
You find your go-to dinner nights.
The chaos becomes familiar again.
And somehow, without even noticing exactly when it happened, you settle into the rhythm.
Balance Doesn't Have to Mean Equal
I don't think true balance means everything gets an equal amount of us every single day.
Some days school gets more.
Some days dance gets more.
Some weekends the entire family calendar revolves around a competition.
Sometimes family needs to come first.
Sometimes rest needs to come first.
The goal is not creating a perfectly balanced dance family.
The goal is finding a rhythm that keeps our dancers healthy, supported and still loving the thing they work so hard to do while the rest of us remain mostly functional.
And if September feels a little chaotic right now?
You are probably doing just fine.
Give it time.
Give your dancer grace.
Give yourself grace.
We are all getting back into the routine together.
Now tell me:
What is the hardest part of getting back into the school + dance routine for your family: sleep, meals, homework, schedules or simply keeping track of where everyone is supposed to be?
