Back-to-school tips: 3 family-focused resolutions for fall

Wake up a few minutes early and get centered before the morning rush begins. “Starting your day with at least 10 minutes of quiet time is a huge help when adjusting to new schedules,” says Kay-Aba Kennedy. Try stepping outside for a quick dose of fresh air, or sitting down with your coffee to reflect on the coming day.

This school year, we will not overschedule our children—or ourselves! “A sure sign of activity overload is if the parent feels frazzled,” says Alvin Rosenfeld, M.D., coauthor of The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap. The key to avoiding a jammed calendar is scheduling—for free time. “Regularly leaving kids to their own devices helps to develop their own interests,” says Rosenfeld.

Weeknight family meals don’t have to be fabulous to be meaningful. Teenagers who eat dinner at least five times a week with their families are less likely to smoke or drink than teens who don’t, according to a recent study. So even if you order takeout, gather the troops and eat up!