05/09/2026
Labor Day math, mom-of-five edition:
5 kids
➕1 soccer tournament
➕Friends and grandparents coming and going
➕Multiple meals
➕The annual question:
How many hot dogs and hamburgers do I actually need? 🌭🍔
I spend my days analyzing SAT scores, GPAs, course rigor, and admissions data — but the right hot dog-to-hamburger-to-child ratio? That’s where I’m stumped. 🤷♀️
Somewhere between the soccer schedule and the grocery list, it occurred to me: Labor Day is the perfect time for a little back-to-school reset.
Here are 5️⃣ things I tell students, and am trying to follow myself as a mom of five:
▪️1. Put everything in one calendar.
School dates, practices, games, tests, activities. If it isn’t there, assume someone will forget it.
▪️2. Look at the week before it starts.
Ten minutes on Sunday can prevent a lot of Monday morning chaos.
▪️3. Work backward from the big things.
Tests, projects, applications, tournaments. Start with the deadline and figure out what needs to happen before it. Then block out the time.
▪️4. Don’t confuse busy with productive.
A packed schedule isn’t automatically a good one. Leave room for sleep, homework—and life.
▪️5. Build the system now.
September is the time to establish the habits that will carry students through the year, before everyone is overwhelmed.
Organization may not sound like a college admissions strategy. But students who learn to manage their time, anticipate what’s coming, and follow through are building some of the most important skills they’ll need — in high school, in the application process, and eventually in college.
Now back to the more pressing question:
How many hamburgers do five kids eat on Labor Day weekend? ☺️
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