8 Smart Tips to Manage School Mornings Effectively

There she was. Every morning. Looking fresh as a pie. Her hair blow dried to the last end. Clothes prim and proper. Cool and composed.

Every night I would sleep hoping to look like her. In the morning….never mind. I would land up at the bus stop looking like I had run a marathon!! ARGGHHH!!

I had to find out!! One morning I caught her at the bus-stop and with earnestness laced with a little (read the opposite) envy asked her “How Do You Manage School Mornings?”

She was (like almost any woman would have been) happy to boast!

Glad to share these with you plus a few of mine (Yes, I’ve listened to her and my marathons are reducing to sprints).

1. Don’t Check Your Phone First Thing In The Morning

Guilty! One must really stop doing this. As much as one is dying to know how the extra-terrestrial descended on the other side of the planet, it can wait. Saving those few minutes in the morning can prove crucial because it keeps your mind and energies focussed.

2. Rope Your Husband In

Seriously? Having babies alone would be easier!! 
But having tried this, I can vouch it helps! Sharing responsibilities helps to manage school mornings better. Besides supervising the bath, brushing teeth, talking over that glass of milk, assisting in getting the kids ready; these can be great bonding moments for the father and children. 

3. Get Dressed Before The Kids

This is a new one but makes so much sense. If my 2-year-old wakes up before me things are so chaotic. But once I ease into the morning, I am less likely to feel stressed and take my anxious feelings out on the kids.

4. Use Alarms For Kids

I’ve tried this with my older one  and it’s awesome. Beating time is our new morning challenge! Up at the alarm! Brushed, showered and breakfast done: all before the alarm goes ‘brriingg!’ A total of 5 beaten alarms earns my son a reward.  

5. Sort Clothes At Night

Specially when kids don’t have uniforms in pre-schools, this is important. The entire dress-rehearsal takes place the previous evening. No big decisions for the morning. This really helps to manage school mornings more effectively.

6. Consult The Kids When You Plan The Meals

No. I don’t mean you offer your child a buffet. But the pre-schoolers can be very fussy. Their terribles just last through the twos and the threes and then spill over to the four and end with a little hangover in the fives. So offer choices as convenient for you and plan ahead with your child. 

7. Keep Things Handy For Kids

To encourage my kids to be independent and learn their morning tasks, I keep things within their reach. With the younger ones it’s a good idea to begin with essentials like tooth-brushes, paste, comb. I keep everything ready in a basket the night before and place it on the stool so they can reach it. The more accessible these things, the better the chances of doing work independently. 

8. Change the bath routine

This may sound bizarre to you too, but it has clearly works wonders specially when my kids were younger. I realized morning bath routines were stressed, rushed and beginning to seem like a mere formality. So I stopped bathing them at night. I give my kids a bath at night now. Saves me huge time in the morning and besides; the kids can enjoy their bath with leisure. 

Also read more about: School, school, which one do I choose? This one or That one?, Pain, Pain Go away, Little Johnny wants to school!

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