7 Practical Tips for Managing the New School Year, According to Nina Westbrook Wendy WisnerSeptember 4, 2025 at 2:00 AM 0 Courtesy of Nina Westbrook Photo of Nina and Russell Westbrook and their family Nina Westbrook is a therapist, podcast host, business woman, creator of a mental health app for m...
- - 7 Practical Tips for Managing the New School Year, According to Nina Westbrook
Wendy WisnerSeptember 4, 2025 at 2:00 AM
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Courtesy of Nina Westbrook
Photo of Nina and Russell Westbrook and their family
Nina Westbrook is a therapist, podcast host, business woman, creator of a mental health app for moms called Nebbi, and founder of the digital wellness community, Bene By Nina. If that wasn't enough, she's also wife to NBA player Russell Westbrook and mom to three kids: six-year-old twin girls and an eight-year-old son.
To say that Nina is B-U-S-Y would be the understatement of the year. But she's also someone who's super intentional about prioritizing her mental health and wellness—and balancing that with her career and family.
We caught up with Nina in August, as she was prepping for the back-to-school season—getting her kids school doctor appointments in; buying backpacks, clothes, and other school supplies; and fine-tuning the back-to-school routines her family thrives on.
Here are Nina's tips for tackling the new school year.
Lists, Calendars, and Group Chats
"It's about preparation for my family, and not waiting until the last minute to do anything," Nina says. That means making lists of all activities—pick-up and drop-off times, extracurricular activities, work commitments, etc.—and plugging it all into a calendar. She and her husband have a shared online calendar; she also shares one with her babysitter and nanny. Her husband and their helpers are in various group chats together, which Nina says are a godsend in making sure everyone's communicating and on the same page.
Recognize That You Can't Do it All
If you look at all the things Nina does, you'd think she's the type of supermom who can do it all. But that's not how she looks at it. "It's impossible to do it all," Nina says. Rather, Nina prioritizes being present with her kids and making sure they have all the tools they need to be successful. "In order to do that, I have to rely a lot on my community," she says. Community looks different for each of us, but for Nina, it means relying on childcare, parents, and her extended family members, all of whom chip in to make things run smoothly.
Get Your Kids Involved
Childcare professionals and family aren't the only people Nina relies on to make sure her household runs smoothly: her kids are involved, too. "I like the idea of bringing my kids along the journey with me," she says. "It's really great when they can take ownership over their own responsibilities and chores and to-do lists."
Each night, she asks her kids to choose what they want for lunch the next day, grab the ingredients, and help pack their lunches. They also lay out their clothes the night before. Most importantly? Her kids have a wall calendar where they list all their routines and activities for the day, and check them off as they're completed. "It helps them be more involved in the process and you're kind of building their work ethic at the same time," she says.
Prioritize Your Own Self-Care
Working out is vital for Nina's well being; it's a non-negotiable part of her daily routine. That means that Nina's day actually starts at 5:30 am, so she can get her workout in before her kids get up for school.
"At 5:30, I get up and do my workout, and then at 6:30, I can jump in the shower and wake the kids up," she says. "Before I jump in the shower, they've already had everything laid out, so they don't need me in the morning until it's time for food."
Make Time Each Day to Connect with Your Kids
Nina works all day while her kids are at school, trying to pack all her commitments into that window of time. But she also makes a point of dropping it all and focusing on the kids when they get home. "I try to have all my screens off by the time they come home, because I know that time when they first get in the door's really important to connect and make sure that they feel seen and can unload their day," she says.
Of course, not all parents can stop working when the school day ends. The average American works until 5 or 6:00pm. However, it is important to make time for your children when you can. Turn off screens. Put phones and laptops away and really connect with your kids.
Get On the Same Page With Your Partner
For Nina and her husband Russell, it's all about planning, communication, and teamwork. "When it comes to working together, we kind of approach it in a similar way as we do our work," she says. "There are tasks that have to be divided up and we each choose the tasks that fall more in line with our strengths at any given time." Their work schedules tend to be different each week, so at the start of each week, they go through their calendars together and delegate tasks.
"I'm very fortunate to have such a great partnership with my husband, and I do recognize that it could be rare," she says. Nina and Russel have been together for 18 years and married for almost 10. "I mean, we've had plenty of time to figure all of this out!"
Continue to Re-Evaluate
Nina's top advice is to always check in with yourself and your partner to see if the current system you have is working. This is a great thing to do as you roll into the new school year. Did last year's routines work for you? What can you do differently? "We can't thrive and do well if we're not physically, mentally, and emotionally well," Nina says. "So as long as you're checking in and making adjustments accordingly every so often, I think that all these things in our busy lives are really doable."
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Source: "AOL Lifestyle"
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