Most children in England are going back to school this week. It's all change for us this year. Ellie is at a new secondary school and Becky has started college.
It's all a bit different now that we have moved to Scunthorpe. Ellie's school is a 10 minute walk away and Becky has to get the bus to college which is about half an hour away. She has to get the bus at about 8am.
It's all a bit different now that we have moved to Scunthorpe. Ellie's school is a 10 minute walk away and Becky has to get the bus to college which is about half an hour away. She has to get the bus at about 8am.
Becky and I are getting up at half past six and we have to be organised. If Becky misses her bus she has to faff around getting 2 buses to college. Ellie on the other hand thinks it's brilliant as she isn't getting up until 7.45am and doesn't have to leave for school until about 8.40am. That was the time she started at her old school. lol
We always used to be in a mad rush finding misplaced bags or shoes but over the years I have figured out how to speed up the morning routine a little.
Get the kids their own alarm clocks.
My two have had their own alarm clocks for a few of years now and they go off when they need too. Becky will usually get up herself and Ellie will doze off back to sleep but at least when I go to wake her she is half awake which makes getting her out of bed a little easier.
Make lunches ahead of time!
Sandwiches can easily be made the night before. You can also put fruit, cheese, drinks water bottle or whatever else will be going into the lunch bag together on a shelf in the fridge that way you can save precious extra time by not having to look for each item in the morning.
Check out the weather forecast!
That way you can make sure the wellies, umbrellas and coats are ready by the door if the forecast calls for rain or thick coats if the temperatures are supposed to drop.
Pack the bag the night before.
Have your child get their school bag ready the night before. Homework, library books, letters that need signing or anything that needs to be taken to school/college should be in their bag. After the girls have done their homework/studying we make sure they have everything they need for the next day. Keep the bag in the same place along with their shoes so they are easy to find in the morning.
Stick to regular morning routines!
Sticking to the same morning routine every day will speed things up because the kids will probably get the hang of what they need to do and will likely do it without any reminders eventually. Our routine is get out of bed, get dressed, have breakfast, wash our faces, teeth brushed, shoes and coats on and out the door! As long as we stick to it, it usually works!
Get a Timer!
If you have a child who can easily spend half an hour getting dressed or take five minutes to put on one shoe try using a timer to get your slow coach on the move. Kids love to make a game out of things. If you challenge them to beat the clock they'll be less likely to daydream and become distracted while getting ready.
Give them time to play.
It may sound crazy letting the kids play before school but I used to tell my girls if they are ready with time to spare they can play or go on their tablets until it's time to leave. It is amazing how quickly they can get ready if they are given an incentive like this.
Have you got any tips on how to speed things up on a morning?
The morning rush is a nightmare isn't it. I've been dreading it. With my eldest two I used to race them to get dressed, I'd go to the bathroom and they'd go to their bedrooms and the first one out got a treat after school. It was a pain having to get dressed so slowly but I couldn't win every day. With my 3 now we have play time. If they have had their breakfast, washed, cleaned teeth and put all their clothes on they can then go on their tablets/phones until it's time to leave. But they can't touch them until they are ready. It gets them moving anyway. x
ReplyDeleteI always made the pack lunches the night before and put them in the fridge. To save any sandwiches going soggy I'd make them with frozen bread and wrap them in kitchen paper. Bags were always emptied and repacked as soon as they got home from school so there were no nasty surprises in the mornings
ReplyDeleteI use the TV as a timer. The youngest thinks of it as a treat, not realising I'm using it. Routine is so important in this house and an alarm clock is next on my shopping list x
ReplyDelete