We've Done Back-to-School Dozens of Times—Here Are the Only 4 Tips You Really Need
Happy Kid Awards: Best for School Days 2025
1. Post an Out-the-Door Checklist for Each Kid
Candace Davison, VP of Editorial Content for PureWow and a mom of two, swears by out-the-door checklists, hung by the door—but the trick is to have one for each kid and once for each day of the week. 'Beyond remembering the typical backpack, lunch box and water bottle, certain days have after-school activities—swim lessons, ballet, Girl Scouts—so I'll use a clothespin to stick that day's index card of 'need to bring' items on their backpack, then stick it by the door.' Come morning, before heading out—and together with her kids—she unclips the card for a quick review to be sure all the essentials are packed for the day ahead. 'I'm really trying to stop having to make trips back to school midday when things are forgotten this year,' she says.
2. Plan a 'Dry Pancake Run'
It's not that you want school to start a day early, but giving your routine a test drive—something PureWow's executive editor and mom of three, Alexia Dellner, has dubbed the 'Dry Pancake Run'—can be worth it while still feeling fun. 'Summer means lazy mornings, sleeping in, a lack of routine, all those things,' she says. 'In order to get back into the swing of things, we do the following: The day before the first day of school, we do a dry run. We wake up at the right time, we pack our bags, we get dressed in school clothes and we walk to the bus stop to be sure we're there on time. But then, instead of putting our kid on the bus or managing preschool drop-off, we go out for a pancake breakfast as a family. It's a nice way to kick off the school year, but also a chance to get back into a routine and iron out any kinks.'
3. Schedule Blank Spaces the Same Way You Do Soccer Practice
One of the most daunting parts of back-to-school is the return of feeling overscheduled. That's why PureWow's editor-in-chief and mom of two, Jillian Quint, believes in countering the craziness by intentionally scheduling down time. 'Our world gets so busy with all the kids' activities once back to school starts,' she says. 'Two sports, gymnastics, art classes, piano…kill me. We make a point to reserve two permanent nights a week that are clear for just our family. It helps us all to feel some calm as we jump into things.'
4. Rely on This 3-Word Ice Breaker to Get Your Kids to Open Up
The overwhelm! The adrenaline! Back to school can feel like the parent Olympics—there's so much pressure on a singular day. But then, pick up happens and, as you eagerly await a full download, your kids are, well, less than verbose. That's why I, a mom of two, swear by this three-word question: 'How was recess?' According to experts, it's one of the best ways to get your kid to open up. After all, it's much more fun to discuss friend-related experiences and interactions than answering standard questions about routine activities and what they learned in school. That said, it can also serve as a conversation gateway to other topics. Save it for the dinner table.
24 Back-to-School Dinners That Are Family-Friendly and Low-Maintenance
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In the great shoe debate of flats versus heels, I've always been a heels girl. But I recognize that a good pair of flats can be a versatile addition to any shoe rotation, especially as warmer days call for more breathable, lightweight footwear. Friends and colleagues of mine have frequently praised Rothy's for a number of reasons: its sustainable practices; its easy-to-care-for, washable designs; and its cute, trendy styles. Despite this, I'd never ventured to try a pair for myself, partially because the hefty price tag left me hesitant to splurge. But with similar flats available at Amazon for a much better bargain, I wanted to see whether Rothy's shoes were really worth their salt or if the alternatives could give me the same look and feel for less. I spent the last few weeks testing Rothy's The Point II flats against the Babudog Mesh Flats I found at Amazon, trekking city blocks and strutting our office corridors to see which shoes best deliver on style, comfort and overall value. A post shared by CNN Underscored (@cnnunderscored) Rothy's The Point II Flats Rothy's clean- and classic-looking ballet flats can work as wardrobe basics or colorful statement shoes. The machine-washable design makes them a breeze to care for, and though the price point is a bit steep, you can see the cost reflected in the durable build and overall quality of these shoes. Babudog Pointed-Toe Mesh Flats The mesh design and memory foam insoles on these Babudog flats make them comfortable right out of the box. For under $30, they're decent flats if you're looking for lightweight shoes to add to your wardrobe, but their design lacks solid durability, so you might find yourself replacing them sooner than you'd like. With their affordable price point, though, that might not be a deal breaker for some. Rothy's proprietary rPET yarn, spun from plastic bottles Mesh Rothy's In Love insoles, made from recycled plastic bottles and recyclable foam Padded memory foam Yes No 13 15 Yes Yes but limited selection Yes No 362 g. 320 g. On first glance, the Rothy's and Babudog flats share a lot of design similarities. Both are made of woven materials for a light and breathable feel, both have slightly raised heels on their outsoles and both have tapered toe boxes for a sleek silhouette. But despite these similarities on paper, the Rothy's flats have a much more elevated feel than the Babudog shoes. Rothy's flats look pretty basic, but there are a number of intentional design choices that give these shoes a more elegant feel overall. First, the lines of these shoes are super clean, creating a geometric design that looks surprisingly flattering, and the reinforced stitching around the opening helps prevent fraying. Though the shoes are made of Rothy's proprietary knit — which is sourced from recycled plastic bottles — you'd never guess the shoes are woven until you're up close. Even the insoles are decked out in a color-coordinated knit for ultimate cohesion. The flats deliver a crisp look and classic shape that pairs well with almost anything. Plus, Rothy's selection of fun colors and patterns give you the chance to turn otherwise simple flats into statement shoes for your wardrobe. The outsoles also have a cute tortoiseshell knit pattern; while not a necessity, this is another detail that points to Rothy's commitment to quality design. Whether I was wearing jeans, linen pants or a flowy skirt, I could rely on these flats to add a polished finish to my look, and the Lollipop Red color is just as vibrant in person as it looks online. The Babudog flats aren't unstylish by any means, but they lack the clean lines and thoughtful details present on the Rothy's. The mesh fabric isn't as tightly woven and the rounded opening isn't as sharp in design, which gives the flats a more casual appearance. The Babudog flats are offered in 15 colors, but the selection is limited based on sizing. I opted for the yellow shade, which appears a bit more muted in person than it looks online. Still, these flats were a nice way to shake up my rather neutral-centered wardrobe, and the yellow color was versatile enough to pair with an array of outfits without looking out of place. Granted, they're still not as bold or eye-catching as the Rothy's. Though they have the same basic silhouette, the toe shape on the Babudog flats is also more rounded, while it's more pointed on the Rothy's. The Rothy's pointed toes do cause a more narrow fit, but in return, you get what I feel is a more sophisticated-looking design that works for both casual outfits and office attire. Wearing these flats side by side, there's just something more appealing to me about the look of the Rothy's on my feet. Though neither I nor the coworkers I surveyed could narrow down exactly why we liked the look of the Rothy's flats better, I would wager it's the sum of all these small details that helps create a more elegant overall look. Related article The 20 best ballet flats that are chic and comfortable, according to stylists As much as I love the look of the Rothy's Point II flats, they were an absolute nightmare to break in. Granted, some of the blame rests on my poor decision-making: I was so excited when my Rothy's flats finally arrived that I decided to put them on straight out of the box and head for a stroll along the water and into a local art museum. This route ended up being 4 miles round trip from when I left my apartment to when I returned, not counting the walking I did through the museum's exhibits. While a few miles is typically within reason for me to walk around the city, 4 miles in brand-new shoes was not the best idea. The Rothy's flats felt snug and comfortable as I headed out my door, but after about 20 minutes, I started to feel some heat and discomfort around the back of my heels and tops of my toes. Even though the back heels had stayed in place on my feet, there was still a good amount of friction between my skin and the knit shoes as I walked. As a runner, former dancer and lifelong athlete, I'm no stranger to having roughed-up feet, but these flats delivered by far the largest and most painful blisters I have ever experienced. I was on the verge of tears walking home and couldn't wear any shoes with a closed heel for almost a week after wearing these Rothy's flats. In addition to taking skin off both my heels, the pointed toes on the Rothy's flats also created blisters on my big toes and the two outermost toes on both of my feet. This was my first time wearing Rothy's, so I figured I had missed some crucial instructions or done something wrong, because there's no way people would buy these shoes if this pain was consistently required to break them in. As I did more online research, I noticed some Rothy's reviewers also complained of blisters with their Point II flats, even when they went up a half or full shoe size to accommodate their feet better. I polled some of my Rothy's-wearing colleagues as well, and almost all of them said they experienced some sort of heel rubbing (though none as severe as mine) while breaking in their Rothy's shoes. Some online users recommended letting the Rothy's 'breathe' for a few days once you take them out of the box, allowing the knit material to naturally loosen prior to the first wear. Other reviewers rave about how comfortable their Rothy's are and don't mention experiencing any blistering. A potential part of the issue for me is that I have wider feet, so the narrow design of the Rothy's flats left my toes a bit squished and firmly gripped onto my heels. I did end up wearing my Rothy's again after washing them and patching up my feet, and noticed that they felt a bit looser. Even after removing my protective bandages, the Rothy's flats didn't cause any subsequent blisters as I continued to wear them. Brutal break-in phase aside, the Rothy's were perfectly comfortable to wear for a day at the office (including commuting). However, I still wouldn't recommend them for any long periods of walking. Despite being both mentally and physically scarred from trying to break in the Rothy's flats, I still had the Babudog pair to try. To my delight, these flats were comfortable straight from the box and — though I didn't wear them for 4 miles — they left my feet blister-free after a 2-mile round-trip walking commute to and from the office. There was essentially no break-in period required for these flats. Similar to the Rothy's, they also have narrowed toe boxes, but they're a bit wider by comparison, which left more room for my toes to spread. The mesh fabric isn't as tightly woven as the Rothy's knit, as I noted previously, and that means you get a slightly looser fit overall. While that provides less lateral support, it also equals less uncomfortable rubbing and blistering. True to their claims, both the Babudog and Rothy's flats felt light on my feet. The woven knit and mesh designs are breathable too, so my feet didn't get overly slippery, sweaty or stuffy as I wore them. The pair of Rothy's flats are about 40 grams heavier than the Babudog ones, but the weight difference is not noticeable once they're on your feet. If I'm splitting hairs, I would give a slight edge to the Rothy's shoes for warm weather wear. Rothy's In Love insoles are made of recycled plastic bottles like the knit of the uppers as well as recycled foam, and they do a better job at preventing foot sliding. Even if your feet get sweaty, the knit material keeps them from slipping around, nicely holding everything in place as you walk. The memory foam insoles on the Babudog shoes are soft but have a smoother, slicker surface that's more prone to sliding when moist. Related article The 16 best slip-on shoes for women, according to stylists If you're wondering what makes the Rothy's worth $125 more than the Babudog flats, it's their construction. The mesh on the Babudog shoes doesn't have recoiling, meaning that after just a few wears, the shoes began to permanently warp and loosen along the outside edges. Rothy's flats still stretch to accommodate your feet, but the tight knit along the sides of the shoes springs back into place, ensuring that you get the same structure, shape and fit each time you wear them. While the memory foam insoles in the Babudog flats are soft, I appreciate that the Rothy's flats have removable insoles, so you can replace them with orthotics if you need more customized support. But if you want to keep them in, the insoles themselves provide a solid amount of cushioning through the midfeet and heels. Rothy's flats also have firmer and more supportive outsoles than the Babudog shoes. I've written my fair share of shoe coverage here at CNN Underscored, and many podiatrists often reference the 'twist test' as a way to look for support in shoes. To conduct this test, you try to twist your shoes in half, as if you're wringing out a towel. Shoes with decent support will be stiffer and harder to twist, while shoes that are lacking support will be easy to bend and manipulate. Neither of these flats are going to offer your feet as much support as a good pair of walking sneakers, but the Rothy's put up a better fight. Though both shoes twist a fair amount, Rothy's flats are much more rigid and have more structure through the heel and toe areas that prevent the shoes from collapsing on themselves. The Babudog shoes fold and bend with ease, offering very little structure for any part of your feet. This is partly an intentional feature of these shoes — they're designed so that you can fold up the flats and toss them in your bag — but it compromises on support. Plus, both the Babudog and Rothy's shoes already take up minimal space when tossed in a bag as is, so the folding feature isn't a huge selling point. Rothy's flats also earn kudos for their machine-washable design. This feature is kind of the impetus of the Rothy's brand as all its styles — not just its flats — are machine-washable. It might not sound like a huge deal, but when my flats got scuffed while walking the streets, it was very convenient to be able to throw them in with my next laundry load instead of painstakingly spot cleaning them. This easy-to-care-for design coupled with sturdy outsoles, springy knit and removable insoles all suggest more durable shoes that are meant to last. Even if I wore my Rothy's every week, I'd still expect them to hold up for several years before I needed a replacement. I'd be shocked if the Babudog shoes lasted through even a year of weekly wear. Even though the break-in period was gruesome (and I'd do it differently in hindsight), I still find myself drawn to Rothy's The Point II flats. The pointed-toe design, bright knit and clean lines make for a truly sophisticated and sleek-looking pair of shoes that are still casual enough for daily wear. The fact that they're machine-washable is a huge plus, and the removable insoles mean you can swap in more supportive orthotics if needed. The knit uppers provide some stretch without compromising fit or form, and the tortoiseshell-patterned outsoles offer better midfoot support than the Babudog shoes, all of which are features that bode well for the long-term durability of the Rothy's flats. Still, $155 is a lot to spend on shoes, even if they are well constructed. For that reason, I'd recommend trying to grab a pair of Rothy's when they go on sale. Though they're not as stylish, the Babudog flats are still a cute, comfy and affordable shoe option to work into your wardrobe. They're not the most supportive shoes and the mesh uppers don't have the sturdy and springy construction of the Rothy's flats, but they're comfortable right out of the box with a lightweight feel and soft memory foam insoles. Just be warned that they started to show signs of loosening after a few wears, so you might find yourself replacing them after a few months of continual use. Do Rothy's flats stretch over time? Do Rothy's flats stretch over time? I felt that my Rothy's flats did loosen up a bit as I wore them. They were quite tight straight out of the box and did some real damage to my feet on the first wear. Some reviewers recommended letting the knit fabric 'breathe' outside the box for a few days before wearing the shoes. I would recommend breaking them in over a few days at home, or wearing socks with them to help slightly loosen the fit, before attempting to wear them out for a full day. My flats also felt more relaxed through the heel and toe areas after I washed them, though they still retained a secure overall fit. Should I size up or size down when buying flat shoes? Should I size up or size down when buying flat shoes? Both the Rothy's and Babudog flats claim to run true to size. I purchased both in my normal shoe size and found they fit snugly on my feet without feeling overly restrictive or compressive. Many reviewers of Rothy's flats recommend going up a half size or even a full size, though — especially if you have wide feet — since the style is narrower through the top of the feet and heels. Some reviewers also claim that opting for a larger size can help prevent the heel rubbing and blistering that I (and others) experienced while wearing the Rothy's flats. If I buy a pair again, I'll probably follow this advice in the hopes of avoiding another painful break-in phase Should I wear no-show socks with flat shoes? Should I wear no-show socks with flat shoes? I went sockless in both the Rothy's and Babudog flats and felt comfortable, but you could certainly wear low-cut no-show socks if you wanted. It might be hard to find a style that truly won't show since both of the flats are cut pretty deep, but you could try something like these thin liners from Amazon. In retrospect, I wish I had worn some no-show socks while breaking in the Rothy's flats, since I think the extra layer between my skin and shoes might have helped better protect my feet from blisters. CNN Underscored has a team of writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when relevant to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. For this story, associate editor Jillian Tracy spent several weeks testing Rothy's The Point II flats and the Babudog flats from Amazon, assessing them for comfort, style, support and overall durability.
