Hello!

I have a newborn, a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old, my partner has just gone back to work and I need good tips to be able to get my son to school on time without having to loose more sleep by waking up earlier, an extra set of hands was great while it lasted. :(


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  • Go to bed earlier! Get as much ready the night before. But seriously, you’re worrying about losing sleep getting your kids to school on time? Just got to bed earlier to compensate


  • Get things ready the night before, have a routine all the kids are familiar with – and don’t get too stressed if it all goes wrong sometimes.


  • It will take some time to adjust but it can be done!
    It’s all about organization & routine.
    Do as much as you can the night before so mornings aren’t such a rush.
    Prepare lunch, clothing, bottles, school bag the night before.
    You might still have to get up a little bit earlier to organize breakfast & your younger ones but I am sure you will do fine.
    Best of luck!


  • Routine. Get as much done as you can the night before. Lay out clothes, set breakfast things out, pack lunches, pack things needed for school bag. Etc


  • ummm, get up earlier – that is how it is when you have young ones lovey – hard if you are not a morning person, but alas we all do it xxxx


  • Organisation. Try and get as much done the night before. Like packing his lunch and filling his drink bottle. Get clothes out and ready to put on. Set up the breakfast table ready to go. Have his bag by the door packed with whatever he needs for the day. All these tips work for you too, and the younger kids.


  • Try making lunches the night before and packing bags etc the night before. Lay out clothes, do as many jobs as you can the night before so it’s less running around in the morning. Good luck!


  • Keep a roster of what to do and when, for example what day you do the sheets, clean the bathroom, what time you do dinner, lunches etc. Prepare meals in advance if you can and get a cleaner


  • Do as much as you can the night before, clothes out, breakfast cereal out, bowls etc for breakfast, lunch made and in the fridge. :) make it a game :)


  • Have a schedule; it works well and keeps you on track. It will all become habit after a while. Good luck!


  • organize and plan and be prepared!

    get a notebook or daily organizer and write it all down so that you that can clear your head and just enjoy your day

    rewards charts work!

    it get easier as they get bigger


  • Wow I can feel your pain. I would have everything ready the night before for your 5 year old (lunch, uniform etc….) even breakfast in a bowl if possible. Also maybe your 5 year old might need to start a reward system, if he is ready by 8.30am 5 days a week he gets a prize. That worked for my 6 year old when we had to get her and her little sister both to day care and school by 7.30am.


  • Maybe make sure everything is done the night before that way your partner can help as well so your not doing it all by yourself, like all clothes are laid out, school lunch is in the fridge ready to just grab, breakfast bowls are ready on the table to just pop the cereal and milk in when you get up.
    I wouldnt worry about changing the baby out of bed clothes till you get home from the school run.
    Good luck it does take time to get into a routine but the sooner you can the better it will be for all of you.


  • This is an all too familiar problem and one that took me a while to sort out. But there are some ways to make the mornings easier.

    Firstly, if you can, make bedtime 15 minutes earlier for everyone. Including yourself. It takes a good 15 minutes for kids to settle into bed and stop wriggling long enough to drift off to sleep.

    Next, implement a routine. Involve your 5 year old in preparing for the next day. You can do this as part of your bedtime routine. Lay out tomorrow’s uniform, books, bag, shoes and socks. And in the morning it will be easier for your 5 year old to get dressed and ready.

    I also suggest making school lunches the night before, perhaps while dinner is cooking or while the kids are playing before bed.

    If you want to encourage more independence in the routine, first start the routine and be consistent, and then make up a visual reminder for getting ready in the morning. You can do this on the computer. Just make a simple list such as Eat Breakfast, Put on shirt, Put on pants, Put on socks etc, and have a picture next to each step. This way your child doesn’t have to rely on literacy skills to read the list. And for a bit of extra motivation, why not use pictures of your five year old performing these tasks.


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