I have awesome friends and I love learning about their tried and true mothering tips. My friend Carolyn over at A Lavender Life wrote this very helpful post last week and it especially resonated with me. I have 3 children to get out the door each morning. I end up doing hair while holding a baby, making lunch and breakfast and it seems like the carnage after they are out the door leaves me pooped and frustrated! You would think I should have it down by now.
Carolyn has some great tips whether you have 1 or more kids to get out the door or maybe it’s just the hubs you have to shew out. Anyway, I hope this little time management refresher course helps you like it did me. Feel free to share what you have found helps get you and yours out the door without losing your sanity!
Turning things over to Carolyn now.
I fondly remember the days of my twenties when I would sleep until the last possible second before I absolutely had to get myself up, showered, dressed, and out the door. That’s right; I only had myself to worry about. Now, as a stay at home mom to a very active and opinionated three year old and an eight month old, my mornings are quite different and at times extremely chaotic.
On days when my older daughter goes to school, I’ve developed a strategic plan of attack for keeping my sanity, maintaining order in the house, and helping everyone get where they need to be on time without any major injuries or emotional breakdowns. But there is still some room for improvement. I’ve polled some of my friends who are mothers and asked them for their suggestions and thoughts on what works for best them with their families as well.
BE PREPARED
Plan outfits for the next day the night before. Laying out everything right down to which socks your kids will wear can be a fabulous time saver. Want to add some bonus minutes to your morning ritual? Lay your own clothes out too.
Think about what else you can prepare the night before, such as placing coats and boots by the door during the winter. Personally, I’ve always had a hard time locating the exact whereabouts of my car keys in the morning. Searching for mommy’s keys can be an incredible time waster for everyone, so lately I’ve been making sure to set them somewhere extremely obvious at night to save the time I might otherwise spend looking under couch cushions in the morning.
Do your kids bring their lunches to school? Pack them the night before. There is no good reason for you to be chopping fruits and vegetables and preparing sandwiches at the last minute.
DIVIDE & CONQUER
Are you the mom who does it all or the mom who takes it all on for no good reason? What morning tasks and rituals could you delegate to your son, daughter, or husband? As moms, we frequently do for others what they should be or could be doing for themselves. If you have younger children, consider making a morning responsibility chart for them to complete.
BE AN EARLY BIRD
Let’s face it, moms get more done when their kids are sleeping snug in their beds. Get the coffee brewing and start waking up and getting out of bed before your children. It’s much easier to start your day as an early bird, getting tasks accomplished at a more relaxed pace, than to be scrambling around in a frantic rush with the little ones swarming at your ankles.
What changes could you make to your busy morning routine?
