How Do I Get My Kids to School on Time?

How Do I Get My Kids to School on Time?

This morning I was woken up far too early, by my 10-year-old looking for her school uniform. Of course, it wasn’t in her drawer where she should have put it the night before. And of course she assumed that her sister had “stolen it” from her. Oh boy. Can I just please sleep a few more minutes? The next 45 minutes were taken up waking the 1st grader, finding missing shoes under the sofa, pottying the 3-year-old, filling water bottles–with ice cubes flying everywhere, signing homework forms and searching every drawer in the house for one surviving hair band. After several years of this early-morning routine, I find we are finally adjusting to it. Some mornings are pull-my-hair-out stressful and others are surprisingly calm and filled with laughter around the breakfast table.

This morning, thankfully… was topped off by some comic relief. I had managed to get the kids into the van before our oh-no-we-are-going-to-be-tardy-again cut-off time. I was actually dressed and NOT wearing slippers. Backpacks: check. Water bottles: check. Baby buckled: check. I rested my head against the car seat, waiting for all the kids to climb in the van. This is one things we moms have learned to do well. Wait. After about 5 minutes one of the kids shouts out from the back. “Mom, why are we just sitting here?”

I explained to my daughter that we were waiting for all the kids to pile in so we could leave. She chimed back, “Mom, we are all here already. We’ve all been here the whole time.” I turned to inspect and sure enough, every child was accounted for. We all had a good laugh at the extra 5 minutes of hanging out in the van together and I smiled as I realized we are actually getting the hang of this morning routine-thing.

With that, here are some handy tips for a smooth, get-your-school kids-ready-in-the-morning experience:

1. Pack your lunches the night before.

2. Lay out your school clothes and shoes the night before.

3. Keep your backpacks in the same place every day.

4. Pack your backpacks the night before.

5. Keep some toothbrushes and toothpaste in the bathroom nearest your kitchen.

6. Have one drawer in the kitchen where you keep your brush and hair accessories.

7. Give a consistent 10 minute, 5 minute and 2 minute warning before it’s time to go.

8. Create a fun game or checklist to get your younger kids into the routine.

9. Have patience, patience and more patience!

10. Let the kids forget things! This way they learn the hard way and you nag less!

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (2/2/2017) Donnie Ray Jones (Flickr)