In a segment of KTVU’s “Mornings on 2 the 9,” host Gaciya interviews Reena Vokoun, founder of PassionFit and a busy working mother, about the stress parents and children face during the back‑to‑school transition. They discuss practical strategies to make the season smoother: (1) weekly family organization using spreadsheets, to‑do lists, and shared calendar blocks to avoid mid‑week surprises; (2) open emotional communication, encouraging parents to share their own anxieties and invite children to voice worries about academics, bullying, or friendships; (3) normalizing failure by parents sharing personal setbacks, fostering a growth mindset; (4) prioritizing parental self‑care—adequate sleep, hydration, exercise—to model healthy habits for kids; and (5) leveraging community support by asking for help with carpool, meals, or volunteering. The conversation is conversational, supportive, and aimed at giving parents concrete, actionable advice to reduce overwhelm and build a resilient family routine for the new school year.
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Coming up next right here on Mornings on 2 the 9, it can be stressful for parents as well as children. Don't need to tell me twice, going back to school. We're going to help you establish some routines in the next half hour that'll make everything from early morning band rehearsal to back-to-school night less of a challenge. Most Bay Area children have been back in school now for at least a week or so, and they're starting to settle into a routine. But between waking up early and staying up late for back-to-school night, it can be hard to establish a rhythm that really works for you and your family, so let's help ease you into this new school year. We welcome back to The Nine Reena Vokoun, founder of PassionFit. You're a busy working mother, two little ones in school, and your own business.
Yes, okay, I know how hard it can be.
You feel our pain.
Yes.
Your number one tip is something that my husband and I try to do every Sunday night, which is stay organized, as in what do we have coming up this week, right? I don't like midweek surprises.
Yes, exactly. I mean, there's so much, so much going on, right? You've got orientations, getting immunization records, you know, drop-off and pickup. There's so many things to keep in order. Order. So what I suggest is having spreadsheets, having to-do lists, maybe blocking time in your and your spouse's calendar, just so that everybody's on the same page, and it will just make things feel more smoothly for you and your children, and it just makes everyone feel more in control and less overwhelmed.
So communication about the events is key. Communication about how you're feeling as a mom about going back to school is important because your children might be feeling similar emotions.
Exactly, similar emotions and even different emotions that we as parents might not have even thought of. You know, we worry about things like how will they do How are they going to do academically? Is there going to be bullying this year? Will they like their teachers? But there's other things that they may be stressed or worried about. So opening that line of communication can really help both them and you to get on the same page and for everyone to feel more safe and secure during this time of change.
And it might reassure your little ones to know that, right, everything might not be roses at the beginning of the year. Mommy's a little nervous too.
Exactly. And it gives them permission to be okay with not being okay at the beginning of the year and to share their feelings really openly.
And I will say, when it comes to little ones, my boys are about the same age as your children. When they go through a failure, either academic or personal, my heart breaks and bleeds as if it's the end of the world, but I have to tell myself, "Look, it's 4th grade." Right. Better that it happens in 4th grade and not senior year of high school.
Exactly. I feel the same way. Mine are in 3rd and 7th, and now we've got a middle schooler in the house, and that's a whole different ballgame. And that's where I think as they get older, they can start to shut down. So that's when you really want to ask them what's going on in school, what's going on with their friends, and yeah, letting them know if you get a bad grade, that's okay. Right.
I tell them about my failures all the time because I'm afraid of them seeing me only as, you know, a working mom who, you know, does an okay, you know, an okay time at home, but I tell them all the time I lost friends, I had mistakes, and I turned out okay.
Exactly, it gives them that permission to not be afraid of failing because really it's just a step towards success.
Okay, let's talk about a hashtag that's very popular on Instagram.
Yeah.
Self-care.
Yes.
I know parents do a lot of looking to the children for bedtime, healthy school lunches. Parents often neglect ourselves.
Yes, that's when we throw throw things out the window, right? We have so much on our minds, we're so worried about the kids, but we need to get our 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night. We need to stay hydrated. We need to exercise to burn off that stress that we're feeling and release endorphins to really shift our mindset to be more positive. And by us doing those things, we're setting a positive example for our kids. And we need to also ask for help. I know for a lot of us busy working moms, it's hard to do, myself included, but if you need help with carpool, if you need to swap meals, if you need help at the school with volunteering, ask the other parents in your community. Everyone is lucky to have wonderful teachers and communities, and there's so much that we can do to help one another.
And for parents who aren't asking for the help, it feels so good to be able to help.
Yes, absolutely. People want to help, and I think no one knows what we're each going through, even though we might be all going through similar things. And so just remember, people can't read our minds, and we have to communicate what we need, and I'm sure people will step up to help.
Reena Vokoun, it's always good to have you with PassionFit.
