Disclosure: Diary of a First Time Mom partnered with Shamrock Farms to create delicious, nutritious recipes to send your little ones to preschool. Although some form of compensation was received, all opinions remain my own.

Dear Diary,

This school year, I plan to move to the head of the class when it comes to organization and preparation. Last year, even though I served as the PTA president, I fell short of the Mom of the Year title. I know I don’t have to be a perfect parent, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do better. There are a few areas I need to improve my grade in. If I am more prepared, I will be less stressed! At one point, Caitlynn ran around the apartment on a search mission. I asked why she looked so panicked, she said, I’m you mommy. I’m looking for my car keys! After that incident, I bought a hook to hang my keys on as soon as we come in the door. That one small change made a big difference in getting to school on time.

Here’s how to prepare for preschool. Your child is guaranteed to arrive on time and ready to learn.

Make Breakfast at Night

Caitlynn’s school serves breakfast, but she doesn’t always like what’s on the menu. So, I make sure she has something on her stomach every morning. We recently made Shamrock Farms snacks together, which are great on-the-go breakfast options. We picked up several bottles of milk in the dairy display aisle at Walmart for only a dollar a piece, which was a pleasant surprise since the milk is pure with no added hormones.

Then we visited the Shamrock Farms website for quick and easy recipes. The snacks are also delicious and nutritious. The best part—you can prepare the food at night., and your child can help out in the kitchen.

First, we made fruit kabobs, Caitlynn selected the fruit she wanted to put on her skewer. She ate some of the blueberries, raspberries and grapes along the way. We also purchased pineapples, but it didn’t make the cut. We paired it with Shamrock Farms whole regular milk.

If you crave something sweeter, try the Protein Popsicle Smoothies recipe. You only need four ingredients! And you can drink what doesn’t fit in the Popsicle molds.

If your little one likes cereal, fruit bars will hit the spot! It’s packed with peanut butter, honey, whole grain cereal and dried fruit. Get the recipe here. You can also whip up banana rolls or healthy s’mores.

Develop a Routine

We practice the Three B’s Technique—bath, brush and book. You may have heard about it if you watch America’s Supernanny. After Caitlynn takes a bath and brushes her teeth, she picks out a book. In the past, I let her stretch out story time. We would read several titles. But this year, we’ll read only one. After the book, we say our prayers—she lists everyone she loves. Sometimes we’ll put on classical music. She has a Disney alarm clock that plays songs and projects pictures on the wall. We then hug, kiss and snuggle.

Set Out Outfits & Pack Book Bag

This is where I need to do better! I always scramble to coordinate clothes, find a missing shoe or pack Caitlynn’s book bag in the morning. This year, I plan to iron her clothes and set out her shoes for the entire week. I’ll also ensure she has everything she needs in her book bag—sometimes we misplaced flashcards and folders.

Need help preparing for the start of school? Shamrock Farms is launching Roxie’s Ultimate Back-To-School Sweepstakes! One lucky winner will receive nearly $5,000 in gift cards to stock up on back-to-school supplies, groceries and a new wardrobe. You can enter online now through August 20. Click here. And be sure to follow Shamrock farms on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for the latest news and coupons! Meanwhile, let me know how you prepare for the first day of preschool in the comment section below. And enter to win a $100 gift card to Walmart!

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