As a mom of six kids, I definitely run a busy household. And when back-to-school season is upon us, I have to be good at dealing with the stress and anxiety of getting everyone ready and out the door on time in the morning.<\/p>\n
So how do I manage to keep my sanity while maintaining my record of never having a child miss the school bus? Here are a few of my best tips:<\/p>\n
Rather than wasting time nagging my kids to pack their homework or lunch, etc. I give them the tools and encouragement needed to think for themselves. At our house, my little ones use the \u2018Ready, Set, Go\u2019 Board to manage their morning routines. Every child marks off duties as they\u2019re completed \u2013 get dressed, go to the bathroom, eat breakfast, brush teeth, etc. And if each is done without verbal reminders, they earn a check mark in my wonderful and elaborate reward system. This visual cue is very helpful for children, and non-readers can do it just as well with the use of pictures.<\/p>\n
Each of my children has a cubby for their agendas and homework. Since there\u2019s nothing worse than running around in the morning trying to find gym shoes or school forms, I avoid the chaos by designating a location for all school and lunch gear.<\/p>\n
I know this sounds harsh, but if you start asking everyone what they want for breakfast, you\u2019ll soon turn into a short-order cook. Serve one breakfast item to all. Keep it simple \u2013 go with cereal and fruit if you can get away with it.<\/p>\n
I freeze sandwiches to use throughout the week, or make casseroles and soups on the weekend to throw in a Thermos when the colder weather hits. If you have a child with allergies, be sure to place an Allergy Alert label on all of their reusable lunch containers to remind caregivers and lunch buddies.<\/p>\n
Having to get your littlest ones out the door every morning so you can get your bigger kids on the bus can add a lot more time and stress to your morning, especially in wintry weather. I hire an older kid who goes to the same bus stop and is happy to do the morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off for a cool $20 a week. \u201cBus buddies\u201d are a terrific investment for busy mamas.<\/p>\n
If you or your kids have ever found yourselves puzzling over identical looking clothes or uniforms, you\u2019ll know what a time-saver labelling can be. Use waterproof labels (like Mabel\u2019s Labels<\/a>) on clothes, shoes, bags and school supplies to let everyone know who owns what, and you\u2019ll get out the door much quicker. Best of all, labelling will keep stuff out of the lost and found, saving the time, cost and hassle associated with having to re-buy items.<\/p>\n With a little patience, organization and a master plan, mornings can be smooth sailing all school year long!<\/p>\n
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