The Back-to-School Mom Survival Checklist By K + O of KO Unscripted

Let’s be honest: Back to school is not just a milestone for our kids—it’s a full-blown mental, emotional, and logistical overhaul for us moms.

Between supply shopping, filling out 137 forms, managing meltdowns (ours and theirs), and figuring out who’s driving to dance class—this time of year deserves its own national holiday.

So, from two moms in the middle of the back-to-school grind, here’s your official survival checklist—with a healthy mix of real talk, heart, and humor.

✅ The Back-to-School Mom Survival Checklist

☕ 1. Caffeine (and a Travel Mug That Actually Keeps It Hot) Let’s start with the obvious. You’re not surviving a 7:00 AM car line or late-night lunchbox prep without your liquid courage. Bonus if it fits in your cupholder and doesn’t leak.

📆 2. A Color-Coded Calendar (or Just Organized Chaos) Whether you’re a Google Calendar queen or a sticky-note-and-prayer type of mom, get something that helps you keep track of all the things. Spirit Day, library day, that weird early dismissal? It's all coming.

🥪 3. A Lunch Strategy This doesn’t mean you have to be a Bento Box Pinterest mom. This means you have 3–5 go-to ideas that your kid will actually eat. And that you keep backup Uncrustables in the freezer for emergencies. (Which is... always.)

💛 4. A Moment to Cry (or Celebrate… or Both) The first day of school hits different every year. Some years you sob in the car line. Some years you do a silent victory dance in your kitchen. Both are valid.

📝 5. A Volunteer Form You’ll Pretend You Didn’t See (But Might Say Yes To Anyway) You say you won’t... but then you do. Because even if you’re busy, deep down, you want to be part of their world. Room mom? Field trip helper? Mystery reader? We see you.

🧘‍♀️ 6. A Plan for “You” Time When the kids are out of the house, don’t just fill the silence with chores. Reclaim pieces of yourself. Take the walk. Read the book. Sit in your car and scroll in peace. You earned it.

👚 7. One Go-To “Drop Off Outfit” Because sometimes PJs happen, and sometimes you want to look alive. Keep one outfit by the door that makes you feel put together in 3 minutes or less.

🎒 8. A Deep Breath (or Twelve) There will be forgotten homework, surprise theme days, and mornings that start sideways. Breathe through them. You're doing great.

❤️ 9. Grace. So Much Grace. For yourself. For your kids. For the teachers. For the mom who cut you off in carpool. We’re all just trying to survive—and maybe even enjoy it a little.

👏 Final Thoughts

Back to school isn’t just pencils and photo ops. It’s emotional. Exhausting. Empowering. It’s growth—for them and for us.

So whether you’re riding high or holding back tears this season, just know: You’re seen. You’re doing better than you think. And you are absolutely not alone.

Now go pack that lunch (or forget and toss in a granola bar). You’ve got this.

xo, K & O KO Unscripted