Wednesday, 20 February 2019

Mums share how they get their kids to school on time every day

Inside - with 12+ years ahead, how do you get to school on time every day? Good habits start at home!

"Pack your bag"

"Time to brush your hair"

"Is everything in your bag?"


4 weeks into the new school year, and I feel like a broken record already.

But no one has needed to get a late slip yet.

Touch wood, we won't need one at all this year.

(Unless we have appointments, I always prefer them first thing in the morning.)

How have we managed this magical mastery of time?

Well, 16+ years of combined learning and juggling taught me a thing or three.

My absolute number one tip is to let the kids do things themselves!

Talk them through it, let them help each other, but it is much quicker to let the kids do things themselves from a young age than it is to keep having the same battles every day.

Teaching your kids to do for themselves does several things

1) they learn independence
2) they learn routine, and eventually habit (keep doing something regularly and it becomes a habit)
3) they learn time management (if they don't get shoes on, they go to school with bare feet)
4) it frees up mum's time (to eat breakfast, to get dressed, to deal with small children, etc)

I reached out to my communities and asked other mums how they juggle getting out the door, here's what they said.

Set an alarm every fifteen minutes for an hour before walking out the door. Amanda  - Mummy Confessions

No screen time for anybody. Saying they can have screens when they're ready just invites arguments over the definition of ready. Lisa

Pre-pack lunches in the fridge, and school bags with everything else they need the night before, so you only need to grab lunches in the morning. Holly - Simplify Create Inspire

Making sure uniforms are available the night before allows me to tell them to get dressed while I deal with the baby. Lameze

If you have kids who struggle with mornings, or going to school timing is everything, too much time can be as bad as not enough. Kate - Picklebums

My daughter knows if we don't work there's no holidays or fun days. Everyone has to work, it instils a good work ethic. Helen

Make breakfast the last thing on the list, that way if they dawdle everything else is done. Kate - Living Laughing Loving Together

Alarms! I have 3 set on the iPad - 6am to signal wake up time, 6.30 for breakfast, 7am for shoer and getting dressed. Works well to help my ASD daughter. AJ

Earlier bedtimes, so they get up without fights. Kell - All Mum Said

No screens, and lots of encouragment and reminders when their young so it becomes habit. Michelle

Everyone has to be fully dressed, including hair brushed and shoes on, before breakfast. Barbara - Patchwork Cactus Blog

I gave my kids a list of what needed to be done by 7.30, then what needed to be done by 8am. They walked around ticking everything off until it became habit, and now they're organised well ahead of time. Keryn

For years I've played two songs when it's five minutes until we leave. The songs change, but the kids know when the music starts there's five minutes left. Bron - MumLyfe

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We have a routine - up by 6.45, get dressed, pack lunch, check bags, hats, water bottles, breakfast, hair and TV until it's time to leave at 7.45. It's been the same since prep, she's in year 6 now. Jen

I get up with my youngest and organise myself (coffee, hair, clothes, lunches, uniforms, etc) then I can focus on getting the big kid organised. Katie - Miss Morni Penni

Make lunches the night before, and get shoes and uniforms ready. Kristie

Have a weekly calender on the fridge with all the ins and outs of school activities, makes getting bags ready so much easier. Caroline - Aussie Allergy Mum

Go with the flow, be organised, know your limits. What's the latest you can leave without compromise. Tamea

Pack lunches the night before! Bernadette - Goodie Goodie Lunchbox

Have a routine, and stick to it. Sharon

Leave for work early so your husband deals with it. Maraya - Stuff Mums Like

To get screen or play time before school, my 9yo has to get up and get everything done without arguing or farting around. Becky

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Develop micro systems that work (where kids keep things, etc). Kelly - Be A Fun Mum

Put all the crap in a washing basket, saves multiple trips to the car. Bree

Teach your kids to do it themselves, and face the consequences if they don't. If they don't pack a proper lunch, they'll be hungry. Kylie - The Thrifty Issue

Having a routine, and teaching your kids to do things by themselves. Natalie - Cheap Ass Mum

As soon as we get home from school, we empty the school bag and get it ready for the next day. Rebecca - Imperfect Mummy

I banned the TV and iPad before school. Fixed all our problems. Deb

Turn the TV off. Shannon - My Rainbow Tribe

Since setting up a bag rack with tidy tray for notes and calendar reminders our mornings are much smoother. Cassie

I made two copies of our routine chart, one for the bedroom and one for the dining room. Read or play if there's time is the last item. Anna - Home Heart Tee Art

Prepare lunches, uniforms, and breakfast the night before. Opal

I hope these tips can help you get organised in the mornings!

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