It really doesn’t matter what age you child is, whether they are a baby, toddler, infant or even a teenager, there is just something about getting them ready in the mornings and out of the house on time that is difficult! Jon and I were rarely late for anything before the little dude was born, in fact we can’t stand lateness!! Yet this little person arrives and they seem to completely obliterate any ability to get out of the house on time in the morning! And I know depressions treatment info doesn’t change as they get older, teenagers can be even worse in the mornings, especially where going to school is involved.
But with a little practice, patience and planning we are now out the door with time to spare (at least 95% of the time!) in the mornings. Want to know my little secrets to dealing with less stress in the mornings? Here they are
Planning and organisation really is key! Do everything you can do to prepare for the morning the night before.
Food Prep – Sort out the packed lunches the night before so your not scurrying to make them in the morning. This will give you a little more time to get those kids cleaned and dressed. You can even sort breakfast the night before, lay the table and put out cereal ready to go, chop up any fruit and pop it in the fridge, why not try overnight oats as a porridge alternative or if you like a hot breakfast utilise your slow cooker to make a cooked breakfast whilst you sleep!
Sort that outfit – Now this goes for both yourself and the kids. Work out what your planning to wear the next day and hang it up ready to go, that way there is no panic dashing around in the morning trying to locate a clean outfit or a lost school jumper. If it needs ironing do that too, but make your life easier by getting the kids easy iron school uniform from the new Very Back to School range.
Keep the calendar up to date – Get yourself a large wall calendar with sections for each of the family (or a chalkboard one like this!), and keep it up to date with everything family members are doing, this way you won’t be surprised when the kids tell you its a fancy dress day or a project is due. And keeping on the school theme always check that all homework is completed the night before!
Pack your bags – Sort the kids school bags the night before. Pop in their school books, home work, lunch money (or any dry packed lunch items which don’t need to be kept in the fridge) and any other items they need for school the next day.
Make them responsible – If you have room in your house for a cubby hole type area set it up so each family member has their own section. Once the kids are old enough make them responsible for their own section so they return their coat, shoes and bag there each day so its there the next morning. If you live in Wales (or somewhere equally rainy!) make sure your keep both a lightweight coat and a rain coat to hand just in case the weather is rubbish in the morning. Make it part of your nighttime routine to check that there is everything they need to leave the house in the morning easily stored in their cubbies.
Give yourself plenty of time – Set multiple alarm clocks!! It is far too easy to turn off your alarm clock and go back to sleep. So make sure you set multiple, starting from 30 minutes before you usually wake up. Your giving yourself plenty of time to wake up properly and make sure your more productive when you do make it out of bed. Maybe a giant coffee will also help!
Get into a routine – I know this is easier said than done, but once kids get into a routine it often makes it lots easier in the morning. Wake them at the same time, brush teeth, dress, do hair, breakfast and go, or however you want to work it! Once they are used to a routine they know whats coming next and what’s expected of them, less arguing and fights and more productiveness.
So what are your secret tips to having less stress in the mornings and getting out of the house on time?
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*This is a collaborative post*