There’s nothing like the smell of fresh crayons in the morning. This — plus new clothes, yummy lunches, and fresh backpacks — signals back-to-school season has arrived! Sure, lazy, hazy summer days are a blast, but we love the refresh that comes with the return to school — and to routines.
But if you thought helping your school-aged kids get back in school mode was hard, imagine doing it with a newborn baby in tow! Ayesha Curry and Steph Curry are going through this exact thing right now. They have to get their 3-month-old baby Caius Chai out the door along with their tween daughter Riley, 12, their 9-year-old daughter Ryan, and their son Canon, 6 — all before the morning bell rings. Possible? Yes. Wild? Definitely! The PLEZi Nutrition investor and brand partner opened up about the challenges of back-to-school season with so many different ages at home in an exclusive interview with SheKnows. She even shared a few mom hacks (including healthy snack favorites!) to help other families struggling with this, too!
Baby Caius, who was born in May, has made things more challenging this fall, according to Curry. She told us that her parenting dynamic has changed “quite a bit” since she welcomed the newest addition to her family. “It’s such a thin line between those precious childhood and teen years,” she says. “Navigating has been wild, but things are going great so far.”
We can only imagine! Happily enough, her older kids love their newborn sibling, which definitely makes things easier. “We’re lucky — all the kids have embraced the new baby and my girls, being a little older, have even been helping me around the house,” she says. Not to mention, having a newborn brings another hidden benefit: the kids love car time. Curry explains, “The baby has made back-to-school so much more exciting. The kids are thrilled to get in the car after school to give him kisses.” How sweet is that?!
Before they get in the car, though, things can get a little crazy. To combat this, the Sweet July Skin founder plans ahead. “I try to clean the kitchen and prep lunches/snacks the night before when things are quiet and calm,” she says. “That way in the morning when things get chaotic, most of the work is already done. I find it helps mornings run a lot smoother.”
It’s also easier to pack snacks when they have healthy (and delicious!) options stocked in the pantry. Curry and her NBA star husband, who is also a PLEZi investor, have a foundation called Eat. Learn. Play. that is “really focused on ensuring kids have access to quality, healthy meals they need to thrive and be healthy,” she says. By partnering with PLEZi and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who is co-founder and strategic partner of PLEZi, the foundation is “furthering our mission to make balanced nutrition fun, easy and accessible,” Curry says.
“PLEZi Nutrition really struck a chord with us because they’re not just offering a healthier alternative; they’re working to fundamentally shift kids’ sweetness cravings,” she says.
Healthy options don’t really matter if kids won’t actually drink them (unfortunately!), which is why it was important to Curry that her little ones would. “What really sealed the deal for us was that PLEZi passed the taste test with our own kids — they kept asking for it,” she says. “As parents, it’s important to us to show our children that health and wellness can be exciting and enjoyable. We’re excited to partner with a company that not only aligns with our values, but also makes a real difference in promoting healthier choices for families.”
As a chef and mom of four, Curry admits that “prep is key.” She tries to wash and chop produce in advance and sticks to 20-minute meals on weeknights. She also brings the kids in the kitchen as her sous chefs whenever she can. “I also love to incorporate the kids into making the meals,” she says. “It’s great because my oldest son especially is really intrigued right now with everything that goes on in the kitchen. It keeps everyone busy, and I’ve also found that including them makes them more willing to try new things.”
It won’t be long before baby Caius can get involved, too, which will just make things that much easier — or at least more fun! Something tells us the Currys will handle it like pros, though … just like they do with everything else.
Before you go, check out these celebrity kiddos who love sports.
