La Rentrée is upon us.  The end of summer is here and it is time for re-entry to the world of work and school – La Rentrée.  Such an apt word to describe getting back into the routine.  Yes, it is foreign to us (no joke).  The French take the month of August off work, so it is really a total mindset adjustment when work and school begin again.  Imagine the hardship!!!!

And, because this summer is over after having been particularly hectic, are a few ideas that may help for La Rentrée.

10 Ways to Embrace La Rentrée

Embracing re-entry after leaving the shores of the Mediterranean sounds impossible. And, I agree. How can anyone be happy to leave the “sud-life” to go back to the grind?

But, to get back down to the Riviera, work must be done to earn the euros required to enjoy the holiday. So, it may not be easy to embrace La Rentrée, but here are a few ideas. It doesn’t have to be a grind! Make La Rentrée a new part of a fun fall.

Plateau de fruits de mer by Varaine, Hippocampe-poissonnerie Petit plateau de fruits de mer, CC BY-SA 4.0

1. Head to the nearest brasserie and indulge with a plateau de fruits de mer.

What could be more reminiscent of time near the water than huge platters iced seafood? Lobsters, clams, oysters, shrimp, mussels and mignonette sauce. Refreshing and briny to bring you back to the “sud-life.”

2. A pique-nique in a garden.

The weather will be cooler and the leaves will begin to change soon. Spread your blanket under a giant tree and bust out the bread, cheese and foie gras! Bring some red wine, real plates, real cutlery, and real glasses. Make it special. Enjoy life at home just like you did on vacation.

3. Buy some new sheets or new towels. Go shopping.

Think about the little luxury you wanted before vacation and put it in your shopping cart. Fresh, crisp sheets and thick, absorbent towels will put you right as rain.

4. Put exercise back in your routine.

Re-entry can be less stressful if you carve out some time to exercise. Whether it is walking, running, going to the gym, swimming. Make some time to get your body back into physical well being. It will help with the routine of school and work. Plus, you will be keeping that body in shape for next summer’s fun!

5. Get your children a new, fun and useful school bag, lunch box, or outfit.

Just a little something will help the children ease into re-entry as well. Remember, it is just as hard for them to start a new “work” year. A little something special, something they choose, not picked by you, will help everyone’s feelings.

6. At least for a few weeks, try to plan dinner ahead so you can shop effectively at the grocery store.

Looking at recipes for quickly prepared meals and making lists is such a time saver. See what sides, salads, and mains you can make without much time, or all in one sheet pan in the oven, and make them work to your advantage. Lists help so much!!!! One for what to have for dinner and one for the ingredients to make them happen.

7. Speaking of food…. try to recreate a great recipe or meal that you had during the summer.

You may not be surprised to find a recipe or many recipes for that memorable meal online. Many times, restaurants list nearly all of the ingredients in the menu. Other times, if it is really good, others have thought the same thing and posted their own recipes recreating special foods. Or, if you are really creative and have a great food sense and memory, start trying it out on your own. Who knows, you may create something you like even better.

8. Didn’t see all of your friends over the summer? Now is the perfect time to catch up.

Pull out your calendars and compare schedules for the upcoming weeks. Plan a coffee or cocktail date and put it on the calendar in pen. Then, you can discuss your summers and also commiserate over La Rentrée.

9. Do not over-schedule!

The surest way to bomb at re-entry is to over schedule. Before accepting invitations for play dates and dinners, take a deep breath, take your time and look at your calendar. You need some time at home. Downtime with just the family. Or, so the children can study, you can get ready for the next workday, and everyone can have a few minutes without being overwhelmed with things to do.

10. Eat dinner together as a family.

After making your lists for dinner and ingredients, and making sure you aren’t overbooked, have dinner with the family. Find out about the new school schedule, re-hash (quickly) the bad parts of work, and move on to talk about plans for the future. Find out what is happening now that re-entry is in full swing.

What is your best advice to ease the re-entry?

…ease into La Rentrée…