Aaah, mornings. That precious time of day when you find yourself hastily cramming a piece of toast in your mouth and slurping on a half-forgotten cup of coffee, trying to get a wriggly bottom or three into school uniform and wondering where on earth the kids’ book bags are. Never fear, as KinBox is here to help with some ways you can speed up your morning routine.
1Set the alarm a little earlier
This one can be tough in the cold winter months, but waking up 20 minutes before the kids can give you a great head start on the day. It’ll give you time to have a quick shower and get dressed before the barrage of “Mum, where’s my PE kit?” begins.
2Preparation, preparation, preparation
Get the uniforms together the night before, down to pants, socks and shoes! And if your kids have packed lunches, don’t wait until the morning to make those sandwiches. Preparing everything you’ll need in advance will oil the wheels of the chaotic before-school train.
3Keep your eye on the ball
Similarly, if your family calendar is full of the kids’ music lessons, dance classes or play dates, familiarise yourself with their activities ahead of time. That way, you’re not pulling your hair out trying to find their recorder or ballet shoes in a blind panic before the school run.
4Encourage the kids to help
A reward chart is a great way to prompt a little co-operation from your offspring. By giving them stickers or stars for making their beds or brushing their teeth, it should be easier to get everything done on time, and give them a sense of satisfaction, too.
5Share the school runs with fellow parents
If you’ve got to know some of the school parents that live close by, you could schedule days when they take your kids in the morning and vice versa. Dividing up responsibility in this way can give you some precious breathing space and cut down on the madness.
6Don’t leave things to the last minute
It’s tempting not to get your kids dressed too early in case they have one last bowl of cereal and spill it on themselves. But try not to do everything right before you have to leave the house, in case they stubbornly refuse and you lose your mind before 8.30am!
7Channel your inner Mary Poppins
Keeping a house tidy when you have kids can be next to impossible thanks to their whirlwind nature. But coming down to a ship-shape kitchen can really help you stay calm, because you’re less likely to lose valuable items amongst the mess.
8Give the kids a five-minute warning
If you let the children watch a bit of telly before school, make sure you give them a few minutes’ notice before the TV has to go off and they need to leave the house.
Hopefully, this will cause less a fuss than just ushering them out without warning.
Also read: 7 Life Skills Kids Should Have By The Time They Turn 13
