Back to school with Katie

Katie King shares her tips for a smooth transition back to school, even when life is chaotic

Tell us about your family life right now.

Hey! I am Katie King! I’ve lived in Rochester for the last 13 years, longer than anywhere in my life, so I think I’ll say that I’m officially “from Rochester” now! By the numbers, our hands are full but we are so BLESSED!

4 kids – Caleb (8, going into 3 rd grade), Elizabeth (6, going into 1 st grade), Micah (4, excited for preschool) and Annagrace (almost 2, and giving us a run for our money and lots of gray hairs!)

2 homes– the number of places we’ve lived this year! We moved into our new home on
almost 5 acres in NW Rochester in May. We have enjoyed the opportunity to share our
above ground pool and ample space to let the kids run around as well as learning how
to manage so much lawn while simultaneously sharing our plants with the local wildlife.
It really is a dream come true for our family.

3 jobs– In addition to be being a full-time wife and mother, am currently doing 3 part-time jobs, each of which allows me to pour into others with the unique gifts and talents that God has given me. I work as a Clinical Education Coordinator for Doctoral Level Physical Therapy students with a job-share in the hospital setting in Rochester one day a week. I have client/s with a private pay, maintenance therapy company in Rochester providing in-home care for seniors to help them age in place.
And I work for Olmsted County as a WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, helping to support moms to make informed decisions on how they feed their babies.

1 husband– Scott! Can’t forget about him! He is employed at IBM and is the calm to my storm. We celebrated our 10 th wedding anniversary this Spring and he supports all my ridiculous ideas.

Where will everyone be headed this fall?

This Fall we will be in another new season as we will be juggling 4 kids’ schedules and activities. We will have 2 elementary kiddos- one will be at Ambassador Academy (SW Rochester) and one will be at Schaeffer Academy (NE Rochester.) Two kiddos will also be enjoying preschool 3 mornings a week (NW Rochester.) You read that correctly- 3 different school calendars and 3 different drop offs…which leads to the next question.

What are some things you do at the end of summer to prepare for the transition
back to school?

Preparation! I am not one that does well without order and so to keep things manageable and ‘the ship afloat’ I typically do a fair amount of planning and preparation. While not an expert, I (reluctantly) said I would agree to share some of the things we do to help keep our lives running so I don’t tarnish my Gospel witness, so to speak.

Meal planning. Crock pot dump and go meals are my life saver right now. I keep on hand the ingredients for a few simple, but well loved, meals so I’m not caught without a dinner plan. If I am making one of these, I’ll double or triple it and then freeze them for another meal. (BONUS: If you create a 2 week meal plan twice, you’ve made an entire month of meal planning and you can save your brain energy for something else! In a rut? Ask a friend their go-to meals.)

Rehearsal. Before the “big day” of having to drop everyone off at all.the.places, we practice waking up, eating breakfast, getting dressed/teeth brushed, etc. and even driving to our locations on a weekday to arrive at the intended time. It has helped make sure that we are all on time, contend with traffic and we all (including mama!) are fed/dressed/ready. We even get in/out of the car to practice loading/unloading so there aren’t any surprises.

Visible schedules/calendars. This helps to make sure my kiddos are aware of the activities and events of the day (more about rhythm than actual times) but even my non- readers can see the pictures to know when snack time is so I don’t get asked for the 4,273nd time when snack is going to be. Check the schedule, my children. It also helps to prepare my older kiddos for time management and determining what they need to be prepared for activities.

Deals. I check ads for deals and shop early. This includes shopping at our own home first as inevitably there is a folder or binder that has LOTS of life left and can be repurposed for another child/event.

What are some things you find challenging in this stage of life?

I would say the biggest challenge for me personally right now is the ability to invest in myself. I can be so focused on making sure my family’s needs are met, that it’s easy to put myself to “later.” I must be intentional about making the time to grow in my
relationships, spend time in the Word and caring for my own wellbeing. A plant needs watering to grow.

Do you have a few organizational hacks for making your days go smoother, or
things that you’d like to try because they look like great ideas?

I have always been a ‘prepare the night before” person- I like to sleep in as late as possible. We get our clothes, bags, lunches, hair ties, breakfast, etc. set out/packed up and ready each night before for the next day’s activities. That means Awana books,
soccer attire, etc. are all prepared so they can be grabbed on the way out the door. I’ve also really had to prioritize and scale back the “stuff” as it adds up with 4 children! It means less water bottles, less pairs of shoes, less activities. In a world where there are SO many great things to choose from, it’s taken me some time and mentorship to remember that simple is better. I’d love trying to be a “minimalist” someday- but not ready to take the plunge yet!

How do you talk yourself off the cliff/take care of mama when life gets extra
chaotic?

Sometimes when I’m at my wits end, I need to just get a minute of quiet. It can be as little as jumping in the shower or walking outside for a breath of fresh air. It lets me settle down and then come back ready and recharged…and then we have a dance
party- helping move my body soothes me.

Do you have some intentional ways that you impart your faith to your kids?  

I think the most intention thing Scott and I do to share our faith with our children is just living authentically- owning up to mistakes and asking for forgiveness often. Only the Lord knows how many times a day I’m on my knees seeking Him and being genuine with our children in that need as well. Practically, for our young family, that also looks like praying together, reading our Bibles, memorizing scripture, displaying generosity, and using our resources to bless others. We include our children in opening our home to visitors, passing along items we no longer need, bringing meals to bless others and talking about the ways we are putting others’ needs before our own. We also have our Family Sabbath each week, a purposeful time to step back from the “worldly” distractions to focus on the Lord’s provisions and following the command for rest.

What do you appreciate about Calvary and where do you serve/participate?

Calvary is the place where I truly came to maturity in my faith. I got baptized, joined my first small group Bible study, met my husband through Calvary friends, welcomed all my children into the Church and have struggled through life’s ups and downs—at Calvary. I am grateful to have a family of families that will lovingly challenge me, a place to call home and be known. Currently, I am participating in Renovare Bible Studies on Thursday mornings and helping with preparing crafts for Cubbies and supporting my husband to volunteer with the Cubbies with Awana on Wednesday nights.