And so it all begins again.....
the Morning School Rush!
Well that's how it feels in our house! With 3 young boys, most days of the week are absolute MADNESS! Kieran has just turned 7 and is about to start grade 2, Heath has just turned 4 and is about to start 4 yr old kinder and Xavier will turn 2 in March!
Reflecting on the past year(s), it has really come to my attention that something has to significantly change in this household to ensure the mornings are a lot less stressful and chaotic!
Look, I definitely take responsibility for the morning madness- I tend to wake up at the crack of dawn to get some study and work under my belt before the three little men start to rise! However, I sometimes get so caught up in my work that I allow the boys to sleep in a little later then they should and hence we end up with the crazy rush! We also haven't been overly organised and there hasn't been much of a routine- except, scream, rush and tears!
But that is all about to change.... with a little bit of research on blogs and Pinterest, I have found some inspiring ideas to help mornings become a peaceful and invigorating start to the day! So I thought I'd share some of these ideas and hopefully you can gain some benefit from them as well!
I have a few major issues that I need to address including:
* The boys get up too late!
* There are normally items from the uniform that are no-where to be found! Particularly SOCKS! (I seriously think there is a gremlin in our washing machine who eats all our socks!)
* I have to ask the boys a million times to do certain tasks like eat their breakfast, get dressed, brush their teeth etc.
* I end up having to complete the tasks myself or stand over them to ensure they do it!
* I have an obsession with not leaving a messy house- beds need to be made, kitchen needs to be clean, rooms need to be tidy and a load of washing needs to be done!
So now to the solutions....
Issue # 1: With the aid of my trusty iPhone, it is time to set 2 alarms- I know this sounds pretty straightforward, but it is something I have never done! I think it is because I am already awake so it has never occurred to me to set another alarm for when it is time to stop working and get the boys up!
Issue # 2: Uniforms and clothes (including socks and shoes) need to be set out the night before! This is a MUST! Once again, another no-brainer solution, however it is something we have never done! As I have always worked in the afternoon/ evening, the boys are often in bed or heading to bed by the time I have finished and so this simple little step has never been enforced!
Issue # 3 & 4: It is time to create a visual morning routine that the boys can follow and complete themselves!
I have seen some inspiring ideas on different blogs and Pinterest including:
This routine chart was featured on one of my favourite blogs http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com.au Jen has lots of creative ways to get organised!
Here is another super idea that I found on Pinterest from a blog called creeksidelearning.com
I think this is a really novel way to get kids to tick off the tasks that they need to complete in the morning! As the child completes each task, they move the corresponding picture over to the done side. Once all the disks have reached the green side, they can be awarded with some play time.
In my next post I'll suggest some more ideas for Stress FREE Mornings! I'll also share our personal adaptations of these ideas!
I would love to hear how others deal with the morning chaos! Please comment and suggest your tips for creating a smooth start to the day! Otherwise, feel free to comment if you experience a similar morning to myself!
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