Are your mornings always rushed? The stress can lead to a lot of time lost in nagging and raging at your kids to get out of the house in time. We have compiled 20 quick actions to get a smoother and quick morning routine.1. Create a morning routine and follow it daily, do all chores and bits in the same order. Once established stick to the routine.
2. Make a clear list of things and chores that need to be done in the morning, explain all the steps to the kids.
3. Calculate the time you need to be ready, add another 20 minutes and move your main clock forward five minutes. Glaringly obvious is the fact that the earlier you get up, the more time things can take.
4. Be aware that your child’s sense of time is very different from yours. It is hard for a child to gage the length of five minutes.
5. Have a proper weekly family schedule where all necessary equipment or extras for each day are marked out.
6. Have an assigned “To go” basket, hook or spot by your main door with a bag ready with all the things you need for the day, library books, gym clothes, prescriptions, letters to mail, etc.
7. Keep all your essentials by your door by putting up a key holder, hook for your handbag, shelf for your mobile or sunglasses, and so on.
8. Let your children get enough sleep, most children need ten hours sleep each night.
9. Get yourself showered, dressed and made up before the kids need to get up, you’ll feel a lot calmer about having to help them along if you are ready.
10. Have as much as possible ready the night before. Lay out their clothes and avoid the style battle in the morning, prepare lunch bags and have the schoolbag ready with finished homework.
11. Don’t put on or let them put on the television or computers. Keep them focused on getting ready.
12. Make a game out of rushing, use a timer to encourage them to dress before it rings.
13. Make sure the kids can reach and have access to all the places they need, like toothbrushes and sink.
14. Comb and fix your children’s hair in front of a mirror. Keeps them more entertained and still, to have something to watch.
15. If you have a baby or even a small child get a carrier to have your hands free. There are great carriers that hold the baby on our back.
16. Don’t repeat your instructions continuously to your child to hurry, she will only end up waiting for you to really go mental before she gets a move on.
17. The more frustrated you get the less will seem to get done. If things aren’t going smoothly skip some steps and stick to the essentials. Breakfast can be a quick sandwich in the car or bus if things get very delayed and for the daring parent it won’t kill your child to go to school in pyjamas. Put their clothes in a bag and they can change in the toilet.
18. Have an emergency box in the car or by your door. Hair supplies, change of clothes, snack bars and juices, pencils, anything that might save you on a chaotic morning.
19. Have a list of “Don’t forget” on your door, a last reminder of things to bring or do before you leave the house. Keys, mobile, turn of the lights, medication and so on.
20. If you are always late and stressed in the mornings, review your routine or lack of and make changes. The kids will probably not do things any faster and things will not change.
Do you have any great tips to share?