Summer will soon be coming to a close and the kids will be heading back to school. No more sleeping in, staying in pajamas all morning for a casual breakfast then leisurely starting the day. The chaos of early mornings will soon begin again!
My kids home school, but there were a few years where my older kids attended the local elementary school. I remember the rush to get everyone out the door on time!
And while we home school, mornings are often hectic and rushed as we try to get out the door and head to the ice rink super early. These tips help us not be quite so rushed leaving the house at 4 am.
The transitions back to a busy week can be difficult, and the crazy schedule change between lazy summer days to early mornings can be stressful in the first few weeks that your kids go back to school.
These tips can help get the morning madness under control and help everyone get to school on time.
1. Ease back into the early mornings.
Ease back into the school schedule by getting the kids to bed early for at least a week before school starts and getting them up at their regular time for the school year. This will give their bodies plenty of time to adjust to getting up early again.
2. Get them to shower the night before.
This will save valuable time in the morning and allow them to sleep in for a few extra minutes. Create a bathroom schedule that allows everyone 15 minutes in the morning in the bathroom to avoid gridlock.
related: 10 Morning Hacks to Simplify Your Routine
3. Lay clothes out the night before.
This is especially important if your kids don’t wear uniforms. Get the kids to layout their clothes for the next day before going to bed. Better yet, get them to put together their outfits for the week on Sunday.
Make sure their clothes are in good order and there aren’t any rips or tears, and that everything is clean.
4. Make a morning list for each family member.
Create a list of what each child needs to take with them each day and post them on the fridge for quick reference each morning. If they have a school activity like band or a sports team practice one day, make sure their extra gear is on the list for that day.
Help the kids update the lists each Sunday night. That way they don’t forget anything and you don’t get the “Mom, I need you to bring me . . .” calls.
related: 8 Tips for a Less Stressful Bedtime
5. Do as much as you can the night before.
Get your kids to put together everything they need the night before including backpacks, lunches, stuff for after-school activities and any extra supplies they need. If there’s a lot to pack up, you can even load it the car the night before – we do this a lot!
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