Exclusive: Jenna Dewan’s Secrets to Easing Her Kids—and Dogs—Into Back-to-School Season
The back-to-school season is officially upon us! As summer begins to dwindle, parents will soon be thrown into high-gear with the combination of career work, housework, helping kids with homework, after-school activities, and beyond.
Although scheduling changes can be stressful for the whole entire family—pets included—Jenna Dewan is offering a couple of tips on how to ease that stress during the switch of seasons, especially.
The Rookie actress, who is a mama-of-two and dog mom of four, is no stranger to the balancing act of it all. She recently shared with Parade, exclusively, some of the super simple ways she helps her children—daughter Everly, 10, and son Callum, 3—and pups—Wylie, Cosmo, Stella and Meeka—stay happy and healthy while handling transitional periods, and fellow parents will love them.
The busy Step Up star admits that while motherhood can be a lot, it is the "best kind of a lot," specifically referring to the experience as the "best circus to get a ticket to." Due to how chaotic things can sometimes become, the 42-year-old counts on "preparation" and "lists" to stay organized.
"A visual queue has been really helpful for, especially, Callum right now. He wants a visual look at the schedule," she divulged of her pre-schooler, adding that they keep a "whiteboard on the refrigerator" inclusive of to-do lists and the family's daily routine. "Something about seeing it, a visual queue of it, has really helped the kids."
"Write it out so they can see it," the actress simply offered.
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The professional dancer also explained that her dogs, who are "as much her children," also feel the shift when season changes occur, and similar to humans, they can become "clingier," and generally, "not as settled" as they may usually be.
"Because we operate all together as a family—the dogs are with us in the morning; they're with us at night-time/bedtime routines—they're kind of in and without all of our schedules. So when that changes, they feel it. I don't want them to feel neglected; left out," she said.
With the "disruption" that takes place during times of change, she likes to offer her four-legged family members something they'll enjoy, too. Namely, their favorite treats: Blue Buffalo's BLUE Nudges Chicken Jerky Cuts and BLUE Bits.
Photo Credit: Jenna Dewan
Dewan insists having the "nutrient-dense" snacks on-hand "really helps the transition" for them as well. "It gives me a moment to give them attention and give them presence during our normal hustle bustle of the routine."
Not to mention, how much the goodies come in handy when the actress needs the quad of pooches to behave, like when she wants to get decent family photos (wink wink, take note of that one)—something else she'll be using them for in the near future as the holiday season quickly approaches.
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