Cork mums share their back to school hacks and routines 

Orla McAndrew, event caterer

Summer is her busiest time of the year, but this year, wedding and event caterer Orla McAndrew took a month off to spend with her three daughters in France.

She made that conscious decision last year, made it happen this summer, and said it was ‘amazing’ – now she hopes to do it every year, or as often as she can.

Her eldest daughter is starting secondary school, and the others are starting in fourth and senior infants.

“During the year I’m really a stay-at-home mum who has a job, and summer is when I’ve most happening, but having established my business, it’s about understanding that it’s not going to go anywhere if I take this time out, and there’s real freedom in that,” she said.

“Honestly, I wish it were summer holidays all the time as I love having the girls around, and seeing their bond grow when they spend time together, so I don’t really like September that much, but I don’t dread it either,” she said.

Admitting that she’s not the most structured person, Orla has a few ‘go to’ habits that help restore routine in her household.

“I will always batch cook at the end of August, and start throwing a rake of stuff into the freezer like home-made goujons, pesto, lasagne, veggie packed tomato sauce, humous sausage rolls, that kind of thing, so that if we get busy, or more like when we get busy, I can get good food on the table and fast,” she said, adding that her book Larder is a source of inspiration.

“I tend to spend a day batch cooking, feel the pain all at once, and just get it done,” she said.

For lunch boxes, she gets inspiration from Lou Robbie and her new cookbook Make And Freeze.

“We might have mini scones, flap jacks, etc, but that’s not to say it’s all home-baked stuff, they can be quite random a lot of the time too!” she said.

She also limits the amount of after-school activities her kids do, so there’s space for them to be bored.

“We value home time, and being bored, and because of that, they’re never really bored!” she said.

Orla, as much as possible, will also get up a little earlier than the rest of the household to get a step ahead on school mornings.

“As an adult, you set the tone, so if you can maintain calm yourself, it will help everyone else,” she said.

“As trite as it sounds though, I think fun doesn’t have to end just because the holidays do. My core value is being the girls’ mum and obviously it’s not all sunshine and roses, but it’s about enjoying every opportunity with them throughout the year.”

Dr Doireann O’ Leary, GP

Well-known Cork GP Dr Doireann O’Leary was set for a major change to hit their household this September, but had a last-minute change of heart.

“We had our two-year-old boy all signed up to start playschool and were ready to release him into the world, but then we decided, actually no, we’re not ready for it! We figured he’ll be in the rat race for the rest of his life so we’ve pushed it out for another year,” said Doireann.

She’s also mum to a one-year-old and said she feels lucky not to be part of the morning rush, just yet, and she’s going to savour it for as long as she can.

“We’re going to enjoy that freedom for another while and enjoy our lovely toddler bubble!” she said.

That means September routine isn’t going to be a whole lot different to their summer.

“We’re probably a bit more chilled out over the summer and, among other things have been touring all of Cork’s playgrounds! I can really recommend the playground at Murphy’s Farm in Bishopstown and also Leahy’s Farm, which we visited for the first time recently!” she said.

Doireann is a huge advocate for the benefits of being outdoors – something she talks a lot about on her popular socials – and it’s an important part of family life too, all year round.

“I don’t think that has to stop, once summer is over, and I’d urge others to keep it up too. All the kids need is a pair of wellies and a raincoat and bad weather doesn’t have to hinder you too much,” she said.

And while September is a month that lots of people dread, it’s actually Doireann’s favourite.

“I love that time of year, it feels so exciting to be facing into autumn, and dare I say it, Christmas! We’ve a big family wedding coming up too and our eldest is page boy so there’s a lot to look forward to,” she said.

For other households who are gearing up for the inevitable September reset, her advice for staying happy and healthy coming into autumn/winter is this:

• Continue to get exercise and get outdoors when possible. I know it’s hard but getting outdoors and moving is so good for our physical and mental health. We always feel the better for it.
• It’s a boring one, but hand hygiene is really key this time of year when back to school hits and bugs start circulating. One of the best ways we can stay healthy is by frequent handwashing, particularly before eating.
• It’s recommended that everybody takes vitamin D between Halloween and St Patrick’s Day; it is the sunshine vitamin and we definitely don’t see a lot of it during winter in Ireland!
• Stay connected with family and friends despite the busier schedule, even if it’s just by phone or a quick coffee. Connection to our family and community is key to healthy, happy living and longevity.
• The best thing we can do for a good night’s sleep is actually to have a routine, getting up at the same time every day, and going to bed at the same time every night. Good sleep is key for our physical and mental health.

Maeve Dennehy, Love Cherish

Whether it’s the summer holidays, or the school year, businesswoman Maeve Dennehy accepts she’ll always be playing catch-up.

But she doesn’t mind – in fact, it’s what gives her the flexibility to drop her two children (aged six and seven) to school in the morning, and step out of her business, when she’s needed.

“I’ve accepted that this is the way it will be, that I’m never entirely off, but that there’s great freedom in that too,” said Maeve, who owns Love Cherish boutique in Charleville where she has a team of 18.

Herself and her husband Stephen, who live in Ballyhea, navigated childcare over the summer with the help of Stephen’s mum, which Maeve said was invaluable.

“I worked hard when I had to and then focused on the luxury of being able to take time ‘off’ too. The children have grown up seeing me work, and we constantly have conversations with them about that, and how I need to travel for work, and so does Stephen, which I think is important, and they get it.”

She doesn’t mind the thoughts of ‘back to school,’ and actively avoids making a ‘thing’ of it at home.

“I think if we make it a big thing, build it up, then it will become a big thing, and it’s where they’ll be spending the next 10 years, so it shouldn’t be something to be dreaded!” she said.

“When school starts again, it’s just another day. If I end up in a tizzy, then so will they, and that’s unfair on them. My feeling is that if we forget a Pritt Stick or a folder, then we’ll have it the next day. It’s not really going to matter in the long term,” she said.

Stephen is head-chef and in charge of dinners in their household, and Maeve is in charge of getting everyone out the door on time in the morning – everyone plays to their strength.

“I have the uniforms on the couch the night before, along with the hairbrush and the bags by the door. My house doesn’t look pretty but these are the little steps that make things easier for us!” she said.

One thing that potentially can lead to overwhelm though is after-school activities, and too many of them.

“I find if we’re rushing around going to too many places and trying to fit in homework, it’s just not worth it. We talk to the kids and explain how they can just pick one or two that they enjoy, and they get that – children are smart!”

In general, Maeve doesn’t sweat the small stuff, probably because she has faced some significant difficulties in her life, including losing her sister and mother to cancer.

“Honestly, if the kids are happy, I’m happy, and vice versa, it’s a roundabout effect. I just remind myself how lucky I am that I’ve two healthy kids, who go to a great school, in a great community, it’s really as simple as that.”

Hazel Buckley, The Yoga Tree

Every year I try to get the kids to bed earlier before school starts… every year it fails, so I’ve stopped fighting it, besides, the routine comes back fast enough.

So says mum-of-three Hazel Buckley of The Yoga Tree, whose eldest child is starting secondary school this year, which means, she says, a new dynamic to figure out.

“I have been using the last bit of summer to get a bit more organised and make life easier,” said Hazel.

“Summer for me is all about West Cork, where we have a summer house — and I feel ridiculously lucky to get to teach yoga on Barleycove Beach, which is honestly one of the most stunning places in the world. Being self-employed has its ups and downs (more ups, thankfully).

“I try to keep summer a little quieter work-wise so I can soak it up with the kids – Tadhg (13), Daisy (11) and Bobby (7) – but I still use the time to plan ahead and create content for my app. The juggle is real! I tend to do my work early in the morning or later in the evening, and the rest of the day is for beach swims, ice creams, and general chaos!

“My husband works away a lot, life is chaotic at times, and the house can be absolute madness. But I’m doing my best, and I don’t think we should be too hard on ourselves. When we look back, will we really say, ‘Thank goodness the house was always tidy’ or will we be glad we did our best and made some brilliant memories along the way?” Exactly!

With the return to school, Douglas-based Hazel has some fall-back habits to make the household run smoother until it finds its new rhythm.

“I go back to my home delivery shop and plan dinners for the week, and I let the kids choose what’s for dinner on their first day back — it gets them involved and looking forward to something. We also get everything ready the night before. For us, matching socks is the main morning drama, so they’re always sorted the night before! I also think it helps to know your kids’ timings — one of mine is slower to get moving, so I wake them up first, and as often as we can, we walk the 40 minutes to school with our dog Noodle. We chat, sort out any worries, and everyone arrives in better form.”

As a yoga instructor, Hazel points to the breath as a simple but powerful tool — for kids and for parents.

“Back-to-school can bring up a lot of nerves, so I always come back to slowing the breath down. The trick is to make your exhale longer than your inhale — in for four, out for six. For kids, I make it fun, like pretending to blow out a candle.”

Finally, Hazel lives by her Google Calendar: “Even ‘me time’ is scheduled. Whether that’s a walk, a yoga class, or a coffee with a friend, it’s non-negotiable. A calmer mum is a better mum.”