5 Tips for Developing an After-School Routine
January 12, 2022This is a sponsored post written by me for Goodles. All opinions are mine alone. I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
It’s 3pm and the kids are heading home from school. How do you make sure they get a nutritious meal rather than a handful of junk food? How do you find out all about their day, while still making it a fun, engaging conversation? Over the years, as a mom of two, I’ve developed a refined after-school routine that works well for our family. It consists of a number of elements that address a child’s needs for a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle. From providing a tasty, nutritious meal (hello GOODLES!) to scheduling some quality time together, let’s talk all about our after-school routine today.
1. Offer something to eat. If your kids are anything like mine, they come from school starving. I always try to offer them something that’s delicious & nutritious. Mac and cheese was a childhood favorite of mine; I enjoyed it as a kid several times per week while watching my favorite Nickelodeon TV shows. So when we recently had the opportunity to try a variety of GOODLES® Mac & Cheese flavors, I jumped at the opportunity. We tried Cheddy Mac, Shella Good, Twist My Parm, and Mover & Shaker. Such fun names!!
GOODLES are simply nutritious noodles that look and taste just like normal noodles, but they are packed with better-for-you ingredients, such as 21 nutrients from organic plants. Each variety also features 14 grams of protein & 6 grams of fiber per serving, as well as 25% less calories as compared to a popular brand of macaroni and cheese. This tender pasta in a savory, creamy sauce is truly delicious food that I can feel good about serving to my family!
They are prepared the same way as regular noodles. Prep takes less than 10 minutes!
Made with real cheese and free of artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives and GMOs, this macaroni and cheese is a smart choice for the after-school period or any time throughout the day. Truly the perfect comfort food all year long! Purchase here and have the boxes shipped right to your front door. Charlotte was a big fan of GOODLES Cheddy Mac.
Gal Gadot, the famous award-winning actress and a long-time fan of macaroni and cheese, has partnered with GOODLES to celebrate the value of healthier, more nutritious eating. In fact, GOODLES is the only mac and cheese, who has earned the prestigious title of Clean Label Purity Award. If you’d like to give GOODLES a try, be sure to use the following promo code to save 25% on your purchase through 7/31/2022: MOMSAREGOODER
2. Discuss their day. Avoid closed questions that enable a “yes” or “no” answer. Come up with open-ended questions that facilitate the start of a conversation. Ask questions that enable them to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly about their school days. For example, one of my favorite questions are “what was one thing that happened today that made you smile?” or “which was your favorite part of your day today and why?”
3. Choose extra-curricular activities wisely. I am not one of those moms that sign up my child for four hours of activities & lessons every day after school. It’s not about cramming as many activities as possible into the after-school period; it’s about finding a passion and then really mastering that skill. I have them pick one or two interests and then I leave plenty of free time for them to get creative and play with their siblings.
4. Schedule some physical activity. Numerous studies have shown the benefits of physical activity on a child’s physical, mental and emotional development. Whether it’s a sport or a walk around the block with the dog or just some playtime at a local park, getting their bodies moving after school is part of our everyday routine.
5. Plan some quality time. As my kids are getting older, I find that carving time throughout the day to do special activities with each of my kids is absolutely essential. I love creating little traditions that cater to the child’s individual interests and personality. With Sophia, I like to go to the local nail salon for mother-daughter manicures and then do some shopping together. With Charlotte, I like to visit the local bookstore with her and we read our favorite books together with some hot chocolate.
Don’t forget to learn more about GOODLES. Save 25% on any GOODLES products with code MOMSAREGOODER. Do you have an after-school routine with your kids?
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You have some great tips here. The macaroni looks delicious. We need to try it!
These are some great tips, and we implement some of them also, especially the offering something to eat and asking how their day was!
After school routines are important and help a kid settle into home life. A good snack is a good idea!
I really enjoyed this post, thanks for sharing these tips.
Quality time is so easily missed, so I agree it is important to be intentional about it.
This is a great way to celebrate the value of healthier, more nutritious eating. I hope my kids will try this.
Kids return from school and are hungry and crave something nice to eat. Goodles seem to offer a tasty and healthy option that kids are sure to love.
I’ve not heard of Goodles before. Good to hear that the macaroni and cheese has a lower fat content than other brands. Might be something to try on my kids.
These are great tips, and I know kids will enjoy having after school routine as they can relax themselves in doing school work.
Getting into a good routine is very important in my house. Whenever things change with our schedule we try out best to get into a routine as quickly as possible.
I’ve never heard of this mac and cheese before. I’m going to have to look for it. My daughters love having mac and cheese.
Thank you so much for sharing this really great and very helpful tips! I love this!
Wow! These are all really great tips! This is so important to remember. Thanks for sharing this!
These are some wonderful tips for an after school routine, we always plan ahead because time sure does fly everyday
I am totally going o look for these when I head out to the store today. These will be perfect for my Gid Daughter as she loves Mac and Cheese but is a super picky eater when it comes to veggies and the good stuff. This is the perfect way to get better nutrition into her diet 😉
Yes to this and I want some of those Goodles for myself! I definitely used to always look forward to goodies that my mom would have for me to eat after school no matter how small, some things you just don’t forget.