I'm a mom of 3 teens. These are my 4 tips for surviving the first back-to-school weeks.

• I'm a mom of three teenagers and have been dealing with the back-to-school season for years.
• I recommend lowering your expectations for what your family will do now that school is back on.
• When the first week of school is over, instead of doing a grand celebration, chill with your family.

I can already feel the pull of the new school year. With three kids, I'm no stranger to all the preparation, excitement, nerves, paperwork, and change ahead. Now that my kids are teens, I've learned a few things that make the first weeks a lot easier to navigate.

Lower your expectations

New school years come with a long list of things to do. You're somehow supposed to get all the supplies, fill out all the forms, and get everyone back on schedule, while squeezing out every last drop of summer fun we can.

Because the new school year can feel a lot like New Year's Day for parents, it's tempting to make mental lists of all the things you need to do and ways you need to change: This will be the year our family gets up and has breakfast together. Homework will get done every day as soon as the kids get home. I'll get all the paperwork in on time. We'll make nutritious, homemade lunches daily.

These may be noble things, but are they the best things for your family? When you have sky-high expectations, you are bound to come up short. Instead of setting lofty goals, think about what's most important for your family.

Pick one or two things and focus on those. The new school year is exciting, but it doesn't have to be life-changing. Make simple decisions that your family can build on throughout the school year. You don't have to have everything in place on day one.

Set it and forget it

The new school year is a bit extra. There are schedules to adjust to, new people and expectations, and so many forms to sign. You still have only 24 hours in the day, and you still need to sleep, work, and do all the other things in your life. The best way to make space for the extra responsibilities of the new school year is to put some things on autopilot.

Consider setting up autopay for your bills. Create a list of the groceries you need every week and store it on your phone. Sign up for a meal-delivery service for a month to remove the stress of figuring out what's for dinner. Little changes like these may not seem related to school, but they provide the extra bandwidth you need to get through the extra requirements of the new year with less stress.

Let go of big plans

A new school year is exciting, and it's common for parents to want to celebrate that with summer's last hurrahs for making it through the first week. While these are well-intentioned, they often backfire.

Big end-of-summer celebrations may seem like the perfect way to close the chapter on the season, but it can be one more stressor as you and your kids transition to the new school year. Instead, consider how you can celebrate the end of summer in a simple way that's meaningful for your family.

A special dinner at home the night before school starts or a family walk are great traditions that are easy to implement. Things like this remind kids of the firm foundation they have at home in the middle of all the changes on the horizon.

Similarly, that first Friday of the school year is exciting. You made it through the first week. It's finally the weekend. But the one thing I've seen every year on that first Friday is tired kids (and parents). Instead of making it a big celebration, think about how you can offer an opportunity for your family to relax.

Order food. Watch a favorite movie. Make it an early night. And enjoy being together. Try not to ask about their week. There will be plenty of time for that. Instead, offer a calm place to recoup from the start of the year.

Be patient and understanding

Surviving these first few weeks and months isn't easy. A new school year has big changes for everyone. Kids are faced with new classmates, new teachers, and new learning. Parents are faced with new schedules, new expectations, and new pressures. The best way to survive these early days of the new school year is to be patient and understanding, offering lots of grace along the way — especially for yourself.