The September Juggle: Surviving School Transitions, Staggered Starts and September Sickness

September always feels like a new year. LinkedIn is full of people posting about how energised they are; kids back to school, more time to focus on business, fresh goals.

I was excited to feel that too. A reset, a burst of focus. But the reality? September has felt less like a reset and more like a circus juggling act. From school routines to preschool settling-in, here’s what the first week of September looked like for us.

The Big School Transition: New Uniforms, Buses and Big Adjustments

Our eldest, Darragh, started secondary school. He spent the whole summer nervously avoiding the subject, worried about what he calls “the big teenagers.”

The bus situation didn’t help. First, the bus company told us he wasn’t eligible for a pass. Then they said he’d need to get on in the next town (in the opposite direction). We couldn’t even get a clear answer on what number the bus was. So on his first day, we literally stood at the end of the road to see if we could wave one down.

Not only that, but he has to get two buses — changing in Magherafelt without knowing where or how. It was chaos.

Then came the uniform. First time ever in proper shoes. First time wearing trousers with a belt. Add in a shirt, clip-on tie, jumper and blazer, a lot for a kid who runs hot. Plus, timetables, different teachers for every subject, and homework on a laptop (which, of course, meant borrowing mine).

And yet, he’s adjusted so well. He’s enjoying school, racking up points for good behaviour, and slowly starting to feel more mature. Spots included. Overnight, he looks like a teenager.

The Preschool Settling-In, Staggered Starts Marathon: Helpful for Kids, Nightmare for Parents?

At the other end of the spectrum, Ada started preschool. She walked in like a boss on day one, full of confidence. Then day two? Suddenly shy.

And that was my moment of parental guilt, furious at myself for not using our own RoutineRoo boards with her. Quick course correction: she designed her own routine video (it’s up in our Facebook group) and has been fine ever since.

But here’s the kicker: the school runs a staggered settling-in period for the entire month of September. Some days she starts at 11:30. Some days she’s only in for an hour. By the time I’ve dropped her off, I can’t even make it back home before it’s time to return. Entire mornings lost.

At first, it felt like madness. But when I asked other parents, they explained how it helps — easing kids in gradually, avoiding sensory overload, and introducing routines step by step instead of all at once. It makes sense, even if it’s a logistical nightmare for parents and teachers alike.

The Forgotten Middle Child: When September Sickness Hits Early

And then there’s Fiadh, my middle one. The one who often gets forgotten in the chaos (classic middle-child problems).

She was happily back to school at 9am… until she came home with a roaring temperature on day two. September sickness had arrived early.

Every year I go into September with blind optimism that maybe this year we’ll dodge it. Every year I’m wrong.

The Work Juggle: Balancing it all feels like a circus act

All of this was layered on top of my work. I run my consultancy business alongside building RoutineRoo. Consultancy gives me both income and the joy of helping other businesses — plus a welcome break from obsessing over my own startup 24/7.

But between bus dramas, staggered starts, sickness, and homework fights over my laptop, it felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day.

And by Thursday, I felt sick myself. But let’s be honest — who has time to be sick? So I just plugged on. Because that’s what parents do.

Reflections: What This Week Taught Me

This week left me wondering how single parents manage this juggle, because even with two of us, it felt impossible. The logistics alone were a full-time job.

But there’s also pride:

Watching Darragh navigate buses and big-school independence.

Watching Ada create her own preschool routine.

Watching Fiadh desperate to get back to school, even when she still had a temperature.

The juggle is exhausting, overwhelming, and relentless. But it’s also full of those little moments that remind you why you keep all the balls in the air.

Where RoutineRoo Fits: Making School Routines Easier

At RoutineRoo, we’re building tools to make this chaos just a little easier. Parents can’t avoid the September juggle, but we can make routines smoother, transitions calmer, and give kids a sense of independence (while saving parents’ sanity).

If your little one’s transition to school isn’t going swimmingly, we’ve got Going to School boards available for testing. Get in touch, we’d love to help.

Because if September teaches us anything, it’s that parenting is always a juggling act. But with the right support, maybe, just maybe, we can make it a little less of a circus.