If getting everyone up and out the door on time is becoming
more and more difficult every day, you’re justified in feeling frustrated and
angry.
But you’ve probably also noticed that yelling at the kids
and nagging them isn’t working. It doesn’t get the day launched happily and it
makes you feel worse, not better. So what can you do differently? How can you
quit being a witch and still get the children to the bus stop on time?
A good start to the day begins the night before. The time to
finish homework is before going to bed, not after getting up from it. Make it a
habit (for you) to check on homework well before bedtime to make certain that
nothing’s been forgotten. Evening also is the time to check the backpack for
notes that need your signature and to inquire about what’s going on at school
the next day. The time to find out about the field trip to a marsh for which
boots and gloves will be needed is well before the morning light.
In addition, the night before is when you need to know about
issues your child might have about clothes for the next day (is it school
spirit day and the only shirt in a school color is in the wash?) or about a
broken zipper on her jacket and other issues. Make it a habit, as the day winds
down, to talk over the next day with your child in time for her to remember
what she’s going to need or want. If it helps you, create a checklist:
- What to wear tomorrow?
- Homework done?
- Library books or other equipment needed?
- What’s happening at school tomorrow?
- Notes that need to be signed?
- Early start or early dismissal tomorrow?
- Lunch or snack needs tomorrow?
Ask your child to set out his backpack and other things
needed for school the next day. If your has troubled deciding what to wear in
the morning, help him to make his choices at night and lay out clothes, ready
to go, the evening before.
Make certain kids get to bed and turn off the light early
enough to allow for enough sleep before morning. Children need between 10 and
12 hours of sleep throughout the elementary school years and teens need nine to 10 hours. Many
children don’t get all the sleep they need, and this makes it very hard for
them to wake up on time and feel alert and ready.
In the morning, make certain you and your kids get up with
plenty of time to do what needs to be done before the day begins. This includes
dressing and breakfasting, of course, but it might also include walking the
dog, feeding the cat, brushing snow off the car, and other routine tasks. If you’re
always rushed, you might just need more time. Get up early enough to have time
for what is needed.
Keep off distracting electronics. Make it a rule that the
television and computer stay off, tablets and handhelds put away until after
the kids are dressed and fed, brushed and organized, ready to go. This has the
double advantage of limiting distractions to necessary tasks and also adding an
incentive to accomplish tasks efficiently.
Give everyone a couple minutes’ warning ahead of the actual
out-the-door moment. Set a timer to beep at the right time and then reset it
for two minutes later. Kids tend to obey the impersonal sound of a timer better
than your own voice.
Finally, factor in the time needed to actually get going.
You know this isn’t instantaneous! Depending on the weather, children may need
more or less time to get their coats and boots on. If you’ve got everything
ready the night before, no one will need to hunt for essentials. But kids –
especially preschoolers – need time to pull on their jackets and zip them up.
Give them the time they need to do it themselves if they must.
Once you’ve got things down to a routine, your mornings will
flow like a gentle breeze. Get the day off right for everyone with a little
planning and care.
©
2014, Patricia Nan Anderson. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Check out the free downloads
page at www.patricianananderson.com.
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