I know I am not the only person who loathes the mad rush in the morning to get children up, dressed, suitably fed, packed up and out the door to school in the morning. Having joined the ranks of working women again, I am also aware that 3 mornings a week, I won’t be coming home after the school run, and would like to try and leave the house in an orderly fashion, and come back to it not feeling like I am entering a warzone after I have picked the children up for school, getting home to end the day. Anyone with me?
I find the mornings very stressful, I think partially because we have been so tired, with lack of sleep, which is now slowly resolving, so I am not always as organised as I want to be, and most mornings are stressful, with me usually getting cross or one of the children having a meltdown, or things not being where they should be. Anyone with me here too?
So, from today, as school starts back tomorrow, I am resolved to be more organised, to make sure things are under control, and that getting out of the door involves minimum tantrums, foot stamping and me leaving the house in a calm (ish, I am not perfect, I am trying) manner and the school run being a nicer time of the morning. I am sure we won’t get it right all the time, but I want to try. Anyone with me here on this one too?
So, as part of our battle plan this is my list of things to make mornings easier and better organised:
- making sure all packed lunches and snacks are made and ready the night before
- All school bags will be packed and by the door the night before
- All uniform/clothes laid out for the next day, before we go to bed
- All homework/reading books signed and packed with school bags
- I have a new tray for correspondence from school by the front door, stuff will go in and will be there to be taken to school. I have also signed up for the school e-mail alert system, so most mail to us will come to my e-mail address, which I can read and respond to more easily, hopefully less ferreting in school bags for letters and forms will happen.
- No TV in the mornings before school. This is a bad habit, and if I let them watch TV, we usually end up running behind as the wails of “we want to watch til x programme finishes, just 5 more minutes” coming from the children add to the stress of the moment.
- All of my bags and things for work will be ready and sorted to go, so that I am not running around like a madwoman five minutes before we leave yelling “where are my keys and bus pass?”
- Both children will have a “to do list” for themselves. Big Girl can get herself washed, dressed and hair and teeth brushed, Small Boy needs help. But both can help me tidy up the breakfast thigns and Big Girl is very competent at helping to make breakfast.
- Big Girl has a chalk board in her room which we will write a weekly reminder of things she has to remember on certain days, when she needs her PE kit, violin, etc. I also write up our week on a big chalk board downstairs, so everyone knows where each person is and what is needed.
- On days that I am working, I will either have a dinner that is easy to prepare once we get home from school, or have something to put in the slow cooker, to cook itself, while we are out. This is where my being organised and planning meals better comes in. I love cooking but I tend to be a bit vague and wing it.
I think, if we can stick to those, hopefully our mornings will not be so manic and will feel a little more pleasant.
Now, if I could wake up looking like some of the Yummy Mummy’s who grace our school run, who seem to glide graciously through the school gate, beautifully dressed, made up and calm, looking like I am off to spend a morning doing productive, gracious things, instead of my usual semi sweaty, harassed self, then I will have truly achieved School Run True Happines, but somehow I doubt that will ever happen. Is there anything I have left off my list that you think would help? Please feel free to comment, or send Mary Poppins my way to help! 😉
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I hope it works for you. Fingers crossed.
You have inspired me to have a go at getting our school run better, doing things the night before, making a list of to do things for the kids, thank you 🙂
#PoCoLo
if you come across Mary Poppins please do send he my way i am surrounded by chaos and have been for days !
Not having TV in the morning is our major successful change. We organize the night before and forms are signed as soon as they come out of bags, dates in diary and forms put back in bags, but it’s all for nothing if the TV is turned on in the morning. Then again, I’m not trying to organize cooking supper as well. My hat off to you!
Found you through #PoCoLo
these are great tips, im new to all this (my boy has just started school nursery) but will definitely be following your tips for stress free school mornings! thanks for sharing x
Some great tips there – especially the correspondence tray – mine are always buried beneath a pile of other bits and get so easily forgotten. With my eldest about to start school, I think we’re about to embark on this morning madness properly. #PoCoLo
I find myself in a far better position since we moved in the fact that school is just up the road and I no longer have to leave the house at 8am or worry about traffic jams! Thanks for liking to PoCoLo x