Harassed Mother’s Guide to conquer the school run
Jan 23 2012.
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From one mother to another I know how hectic the weekday morning routine of getting kids out of bed and into school is. We do it for almost 200 days of the year day in day out, we are troopers, everyday knowingly we face the recurring battles but emerge victorious since our children usually do end up in school, lunch box and homework in hand. But I agree with you mothers it is STRESSFUL!!! Hopefully the following guide will give you some helpful hints to alleviate some of the stress and make your mornings run smoother and sweeter!
· First of all it is understood that bad behaviour can stem from kids who have had not enough sleep. Make sure your child gets the required amount for their age. I know during holidays we are usually lax with our routines, but a week before school starts, get the routines active once again. Early bedtimes means happy and rested kids in the morning.
· To make life easier in the morning do all the prep work the night before. Put out clothes, pack bags, fill water bottles etc. In my house the constant mystery in the mornings is the case of the missing pair of matching socks!!! So now I have got my kids to layout their clothes the night before and pack their extra-curricular activity bags as well, this helps trying to figure out which child has what for that day. I learnt this the hard way when my son took his sister’s ballet outfit to his swimming class. He was not amused.
· Have a ‘Help Mum box’, which is a box with extra pencils, erasers, change for tuck shop, needle and thread anything that you can think of that might be needed quickly and urgently during the morning chaos. I would keep it in a central place, for example kitchen or near the front door for quick and easy access. It is definitely a life saviour when buttons fall out at the last minute.
· Kids are kids and they still enjoy organized routines. Create a chart that has the following activities - Brush teeth, get dressed, comb hair, make bed, eat breakfast, put on shoes. Put it up in your kitchen and challenge the children to see who will do it first, reward accordingly. This can keep easily distracted kids focused.
· Sometime children behave badly in the mornings because they are seeking attention. They have gone all through out the night without you and young as they are they sometimes need a few moments to reconnect with you once again. A snuggle and conversation goes a long way to making sure the morning runs smoothly
· I always find it easier for the kids to get into their uniforms first and then go down to breakfast, since my kids take a long time to eat. This can be tricky with spillage but a quick t-shirt change is faster than trying to get everything put on at the last minute.
· Try and make breakfast simple as possible. In our household we have a whole selection of healthy cereals, bowls of fruit, quick snacks of cheese and yogurts readily available. The lengthy hot breakfasts are left for the weekends. Some of the breakfast older kids can prepare themselves and this avoids the battle of getting them to eat what you want. Leave the kiribath and stringhoppers for the weekend.
· When you have a number of kids to get ready it helps when you appoint a leader. My seven year relishes being in authority and is excellent at cajoling her baby sister through brushing of teeth and getting dressed. Delegation is the key. Motivates children and gives them self-confidence when you praise then for a job well done.
· Despite how much I cherish my sleep I find that getting up a bit earlier before my children and having fifteen minutes of quiet, alone time does wonders and gets me ready for the day. I don’t feel irritated, I’ve packed lunch boxes whilst I was having my tea and I am ready and prepared to deal with the kids all with a smile.
· Sometimes you have ‘to use a carrot’. This is if they finish getting ready and having breakfast they can watch some TV till its time to go. It is definitely a good motivator.
· Most importantly STAY CLAM. Your anxiety and frustration sometimes has the effect of making your children move in slow-motion. We have all been there when we throw out the guide to good parenting and end up shouting and screaming to get anything done. It might work for that moment but tomorrow you are back to square one again.
With the dawn of the New Year, its back to school once more for the kids, I hope this is a helpful guide and I look forward to seeing less harassed mums and dads doing the school run!
(Written by Mayuri Jayasinghe)
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