With back-to-school time right around the corner, you may be wondering how in the world you are going to get everyone up, ready, and out the door on those busy school day mornings. Getting your kids ready is daunting enough, but when you throw a baby into the mix mornings can get downright chaotic. Hopefully these tips will help produce a less stressful, less cranky, and easier morning.
Prep the Night Before
To cut down on your morning rush, do as much as you can to prepare the night before. Pack lunches for school, lay out the next day’s outfits, and organize homework so that everything is ready to go. Don’t lose any time digging in the sock drawer frantically looking for the red sock’s other half when you could be eating breakfast with your crew.
You can also prepare breakfast the night before. Looking for ideas? Try overnight oats or pop something in the slow cooker the night before. Having the meal prepared will ensure that your kids get a nutritious breakfast even in a rush. Packing lunches and preparing breakfast in the evening when things are less strenuous also gives your kids a chance to be a part of it and spend some quality time that may be hard to come by once school starts.
As for the baby, hopefully you have started or have a set routine in place. If you work outside the home, you may have started sending him to daycare already so this shouldn’t be too different. You can certainly get his diaper bag packed and clothes out as well. If he’s eating solids, definitely get those together and in easy access to move things along smoothly. If you stay at home, don’t assume you’ll be able to postpone his needs until the other kids have left for school. He’ll probably need attention right when you’re in the thick of it. .
Practice, Practice, Practice!
In the weeks leading up to that first day of school, don’t be afraid to practice your morning routine. Get the kids up when they need to be up, eat breakfast, and get them dressed just as they would if the bus was coming to get them. You don’t have to go anywhere, just make it more of a race with the clock. By practicing you will know if you need to adjust your wakeup times and find areas where you can shave off a minute or two.
Practicing a morning routine can also make that first day of school a little less nerve wracking for young kids. Starting school again can make anyone a little on edge, so help them to calm those nerves by practicing a routine and your kids won’t even skip a beat when the real day comes.
Stagger Your Events
If mornings still aren’t running as smoothly as you had hoped, you may want to stagger your events. For example, it might be easier to have baby wake up before the other kids. This gives you a chance to get her ready to go without any distractions or detours. Once the baby is ready, she will more than likely be happy to just sit and watch everybody else work through their morning routine without being a bother.
You may also want to get up before the kids if you’re headed to work. It’s always nice to know if things get late, at least you won’t be showing up to work without your hair brushed and with matching shoes on your feet!
Those Important Zzzzz’s
Sleep becomes oh so important as kids go back to school. If summer has led to an adjusted bedtime, it’s time to get that back on track. Make sure to set your bedtime weeks in advance so that everyone is used to it by that first day of school.
As for the little one, your baby needs to sleep well in order for you to sleep well, so check out some Newborn Sleep Tips and Tips For Peacefully Sleeping Through the Night and have a sleep schedule established well in advance.
Celebrate!
Definitely my favorite tip! When the day is done and everyone is once again home, celebrate! You all make it through another day! Spend some serious time learning about your kids’ day, giggle with the baby, and get prepped for tomorrow because the morning will be here before you know it. Have a great school year!
