Calming the Morning Rush!

We all know what it's like getting our kids, spouse and ourselves out the door in the morning. It's much like that of a pit crew with people working madly trying to get the car back on the race track.

I've always enjoyed my mornings and loved getting geared up for the day. However, with each child we added to our family I quickly realized that a system was needed to keep our mornings stress-free and fun. Mornings can be a stressful event, but if you apply the techniques listed below you'll find that your mornings can actually be a peaceful way to start your family's day!

The Night Before:

1. Have all book bags, lunch boxes and anything else your children need to take with them in the morning, packed and ready to go. Place everything by the door so all the kids have to do is grab it and go. (Your children should be responsible for doing this unless they're very young.) All permission slips should be signed, notes to teachers written, etc. so there is nothing left for the morning.

2. Lay out the clothes and shoes for the next day. This includes parents' outfits too. Have your children lay everything out from their shirts to their socks so there's no mad hunt for anything in the morning. If something needs to be ironed, this is the time to do it - not in the morning.

3. Know what you're going to serve for breakfast. If you need to, you can even set the breakfast table ahead of time and put out any non-perishable items to save a few of those precious morning minutes.

4. Have your personal to-do list planned out for the next day so you know what you need. This could be anything from taking the dry cleaning, appointments to meet, to having a shopping list prepared. (Check out my blog on Aug. 30th which shows you how to simplify shopping; it makes creating a grocery list much easier.)

5. If you have a lot of things that you need to take with you in the morning, go ahead and load them in the car. This saves time and also prevents you from forgetting anything in the morning.

The Morning Rush

1. Set your alarm early enough to allow you to be ready before the kids get up.

2. Have everyone completely dressed before they are allowed to eat breakfast. This helps give them a little incentive to dress quickly. Yes, you may have to wipe off a little milk or jelly from a shirt but it's still a faster way to get through the morning.

3. Know the time when breakfast must be completed. Once that time comes, it's time to clean up. Your children should clean up their own mess. Start this habit at an early age and you will reap the benefits. Even a 3 year old can throw away a napkin and put a dish in the dishwasher - just make sure it plastic.

4. Know your load time. This is different from the time you know you have to leave. Establish a load time which allows for a last minute trip back into the house that seems to invariably happen. This gets you out the driveway on time.

5. Always, always, send your family off with a kiss and a hug! Even if your morning didn't go as smoothly as you would have liked, it's important to send the family off on a happy note. If you have just corrected your child for doing something wrong, an "I love you" goes a long way and helps everyone start the day right!

Try these tips and you should experience a sense of calmness in the morning instead of complete choas. Not every morning will go as you wish, but the majority of them will and your family will be better for it!