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It’s back to school for a lot of children this week after the Easter break and one thing I have missed sorely is the busy school mornings… haven’t you?? …… Not!
So the task for this term is to try and make school mornings easier and less stressful as I can. I want to lessen the number of times I repeat myself (yes I know, wish me luck!), I want to feel less guilty for sending the kids to school minutes after shouting at them for the 10th time for not getting their shoes on and waiting by the door for me patiently while I get my own shoes out and just as a whole a more memorable experience for us all.
So how am I going to do it… well I need a system and that system is going to consist of the following 3 things (to begin with!).
Get up and out of bed when the alarm sounds
Ever since I left the corporate world I have not woke to an alarm. The kids are my alarm so don’t think I have a lie in every morning but I mean when I had to be somewhere we HAD to be up at 7 am without fail. I needed to get the kids in the car, try and get parked (yes I used to be one of those parents … sorry not sorry for working!) 😉 and get them dropped off and THEN onto work during rush hour traffic.
I am going to start setting my alarm and take a leaf out of Mel Robbins book and re read the 5 Second Rule.
If the kids are up before the alarm, the kids both have their own
Don’t pick up my mobile phone in a morning
I ideally need to stop waking up and immediately feel the need to look at my phone.
It’s difficult because I do like to check it to see if there is anything urgent and make sure hubby has gotten to work ok but I always, ALWAYS get drawn into something else. Whether that’s my emails, my Facebook notifications, Instagram
I need to maybe look briefly, and then again the minute that alarm goes off put it down and not pick it up or do anything with it until I am walking back from the school run.
It will allow me to 100% concentrate on the kids. I can then ensure we have everything sorted for school, less distractions and hopefully not forget either PE kit (again.. well this half term anyway!)
Prepare the night befor
The minute the kids walk in from school I’m going to get them to make sure everything is to hand for the morning. Shoes near the door, jackets hung up and not left elsewhere and bookbags/PE kits hung up too.
That way everything should be where we need them to be as we leave the door the following day.
Same goes for school uniforms. I sometimes struggle to get them out of them after school, as all parents do I reckon, but when they do I will ensure that they go straight in the wash and clean ones for the following day are hung up ready to put on straight on in the morning.
Create a morning routine
In addition to the things I’m NOT going to do, there are a few things I am going to do and one of those is creating a routine… a system! I don’t think I need a morning routine checklist or anything (yet!) I think just writing this down on the blog will help me massively.
Before the kids even come downstairs I’m going to make sure they are both dressed, PJs away and beds made.
We don’t have exotic breakfasts that require time or me slaving over a hot stove (unless I’m feeling generous!) 😉 so they will get their own cereal and then head back to the bathroom to get washed and teeth brushed etc (showers and baths happen the night before unless we are late back and they will have one in the morning before they get dressed).
Once everything is done, including double checking that book bags, shoes and jackets are near the front door and books are read at least once through THEN they can sit and watch television until 8.25. We leave the house at 8.30. If I ask them to get ready and stand near the door any earlier than that they mess about and end up playing ‘floor is lava’ in the smallest space in the house(!) instead of just waiting patiently for me to get ready.
It’s crazy because these hints and tips actually make it sound that school mornings can be a breeze… if we put a bit of thought behind them instead of just winging it every morning… maybe they can??? Time will tell!
If you got value out of this or feel it would be something some one you know would love to read too then feel free to share (or PIN to read again later!)
I’ll link a few more of my parenting blogs below if you want a read:
5 things to know about your children dental care
Five tips for
How to get better sleep and need less every time
How to save for your next family holiday without feeling the pinch!
7 ways to prepare your child for the dentist
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