How to Get The Kids Out The Door On Time, Every Morning
As mother to two boys, Susan can truly empathise with that feeling of dread, frustration and general banging-your-head-against-the-wall-ness that comes with weekday mornings. Nobody wants to wake up (despite absolutely not being tired last night), then there’s the battle over Xbox, PlayStation and iPad use before breakfast, oh, and let’s not forget that sock that always goes missing at the last moment. Before you resort to hefty threats, which we all know will end up as punishment for you if they’re carried through, or morphing into a screeching harpy (tempting!), try these top tips for getting those cherubs out the door on time, and in one piece, every day. As a bonus, you’ll get to retain at least a modicum of sanity by the end of the school year.
Have a home for school shoes, bags and coats
This may not appeal if you’re devoted to minimalism, but it could be worth the trade-off of a little less stress in the mornings. Dedicate a spot to school equipment – shoes, PE kit, instruments (Susan has a trumpet-playing 8 year old this year *sob*), sports gear… Whatever needs to go to school must be taken off in this spot and left here. Anything required for homework must be returned as soon as it’s done. The specifics of the spot/cupboard/shelf/basket/shipping container are entirely up to you, but a dedicated zone of some kind is a must.
Sort lunch and clothes the evening before
If your kids take a packed lunch to school, make it the night before. It can be hard to muster the enthusiasm or energy when all you want to do is flop in front of a TV or with a good book, but those extra few minutes, and one less task to do in the morning riot, will be worth their weight in gold. By clothes, we mean everything, down to underwear. Leave nothing to chance!
Allocate enough time for shoes and coats
No matter how smoothly your morning routine has progressed so far, it can all go wrong if someone takes far too long to get their shoes and coat on. Initiate the final stages of getting ready around 10 minutes before you must be out the door, and you’ll have time to deal with any last minute panics that may arise. Remember, you won’t have to chase errant shoes around the house either, as everything will be in your dedicated zone (won’t it?).
One last tip for keeping mornings running smoothly is checking your calendar each Sunday. If someone has a school trip, it’s photo day or you need to provide special equipment one day, you’ll know well before the whine of “I need…” just as you shepherd your flock out the front door.
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