It is early in the morning. You and your husband have to get to work. Kids need to get to school. Dog needs feed and tended to. Lunches need packed, hair needs combed, teeth need brushed, can’t find a shoe, and the bus is on the way. How does one stay sane? Let alone get to work on time.Â
The key to an easy, stress free day is organization. The more organized you are the less hassle you will have. There really isn’t just one exact thing you can do to change your morning confusion. It is a group of little things that need to change.Â
One thing you can try to do is get help from your partner. If both parents are involved thing will get moving twice as fast.
The night before is when a lot of the preparations are made to cut the confusion in the morning. There will be less arguing with the children on finding their book bag, clothes, lunch box, and homework assignments. If these things are organized the night before than in the morning you will have time for breakfast, teeth brushing and combing hair.Â
Some of the suggestions I have for nighttime preparation are as follows.
When completing homework make sure all books and needed supplies for the next day gets put back in the backpack. This includes any lunch money, trip money; permission slips or notes that you as a parent need to take care of. After completing this place the backpack by the door where you can grab and go.Â
When cleaning up the supper dishes why not pack the lunches. You then will only have to clean up one mess. This eliminates cleaning up in the morning. The lunches can be placed in the refrigerator until morning.
When you get your kids nightly bath and pajamas ready. Why not get the clothes for the next day ready also? This will really save time in the morning and if you're already at the drawers picking out bedtime clothes why not get the school clothes ready.
If you have a child that goes to day care you will be getting extra things ready also. But follow the same rules. Do you have to pack a lunch for your toddler or bottles for your baby? They can be packed after supper too. Diapers or extra clothes could be pack at the bath time routine. Just remember to place diaper bag at the door with the backpacks.
Before going to bed your child brushes his or her teeth. Leave the toothbrushes in an organized fashion on the counter with the toothpaste beside it. All your child will have to do in the morning is go in and brush their teeth, put them away and out of the bathroom the go.
Change these little things and you will see a big difference in the morning. You will actually have time to spend on yourself. I suggest that you get up and get dressed before getting the kids up. This will save fewer hassles in the bathroom.Â
Your partner can kick in and help by bathing the kids while your getting the clothes ready. One of you can pack the lunches and the other can do the dishes. Have the children pitch in and help too. There are lots of ways that can help.Â
They can have their coats and shoes in the proper place. This causes less hassle trying to find them. Have them immediately do their homework and pack their backpack up and place it by the door. This will become so routine that they will immediately do it without being asked.
Don’t forget that there always will be a day or two of confusion. With a little organization and co-operation from everyone this will lighten up the morning madness you have been going through.Â
