By Shannon at the Southern Schoolhouse
If you are a working mom or dad trying to get your children out the door in the mornings, you understand this title.
My kids are older now and two are mostly out of the house, but I can still remember so vividly how hectic our mornings were. Most of the time, I just wanted to pull all my hair out. If this is you, I can most definitely relate. This is how I survived getting three kids dressed, ready and out the door every morning.
When Aubry was born (now 14) and I went back to work, it took me a while to figure out how to make the morning run as smooth as possible. My oldest daughter is a true first child. She was 10 at the time and self-sufficient and independent. My son on the other hand was a true middle child. He was 7 and laid back, the complete opposite of Kayla. When it was just Kayla and him, I could help him as much as needed, but when Aubry came along, I quickly found out I needed to come up with support to help him be more independent and organized. If not, we would never be on time for school and work.
The Night Before:
Our morning routine started the night before. All baths were taken at night, lunches were made and backpacks were packed. We had a piece of furniture by the door that had three cubbies. This was the home for the backpacks, diaper bag, lunchboxes, shoes, and for my son Jayce, his shoes and socks. In addition to baths, breakfast items needed for the morning were decided upon and the older two put them on the table the night before. Just before bedtime routines, Kayla laid out her clothes and Jayce assisted me in picking out his clothes. I also made sure bottles and items for daycare were ready for the next day.
In the Morning:
In the morning, the baby was up first and I got her fed. Kayla liked to get up a little early because she had her own routine and did not want to share the bathroom with her brother. When Jayce was up, he already had his clothes out from the night before, so getting dressed independently was easier. In the bathroom, there was a visual checklist (wash face, brush teeth, etc) for him so he could see and check off the different items on the list when they were complete. When he came down to the kitchen, his breakfast items were already laid out for the day. Kayla would help him if needed while I was getting dressed and caring for Aubry.
Out the Door:
When it was time to go, the kids knew to get their items from their cubbies and Jayce had his shoes and socks right there. Before this system, he would ask me where his shoes were or he had one sock but not the other. Now, we were out the door on time with backpacks ready. All kids appreciate routines and this mom did as well. Our mornings were not always perfect, but having systems in place saved time and stress.
*The cubby I had was similar to this one, but that was 13 years ago. I like this one because it actually has three more cubbies on top for dance or soccer bags, shoes or lunch boxes. You could also leave the top for decorative items. In addition, it can either lay vertical or horizontal depending on your space.
