If your house is anything like mine, it can be quite chaotic and mornings are often the worst.

The problem is you have a limited time to get ready and out the door, whether it’s for, school, work, kinder, daycare, or maybe the gym if you are lucky. There is also a lot to get done before you have to leave for the day.

So how can you lower the stress, be efficient, get it all done and organised and get the day off to a happy start?

Let me give you some insights into the way things run in our household. I have four children, aged between 10 and 20, lots of different ages and stages to deal with. So it is important to do some planning.

First you need to determine how long it takes to get ready, and work backwards from your departure time.  Then you need to work out the time each child needs to get up. And add in a bit of wiggle room here! Next, work out the tasks that need to be completed before leaving.

A certain level of cleanliness is expected, so maybe a shower, or at least a face wash, and, if you have young boys like me, some time will often need to be assigned to deal with bed hair!

Breakfast needs to be prepared and eaten. Lunchbox assembled with healthy food, maybe a sandwich, piece of fruit and a treat. If your child is a dawdler, they may find it helpful to do this the night before.

Since they first started school, my children have been quite independent, and have been happy to prepare their own lunch without my input. This is definitely something I would encourage as soon as your child is ready; it creates a sense of responsibility and achievement that will serve your child well in later life. And it will make things so much easier for you!

Having clothes laid out the night before will also streamline the morning routine. Again, my 10 year old has done this since starting school.

Also, prepare any extras that need to be taken, i.e. homework, sports uniform, projects, library bag, news/show and tell. These little ‘extras’ cause a lot of angst if they are suddenly remembered at the last minute while getting ready for the day.

By instilling the importance of punctuality into a child, you can make the process of getting ready each morning that much simpler.

If they realise how embarrassed they will be by walking into the classroom late, and how stressed they will feel being a step behind their classmates in getting out their books and starting their work, it may make them think twice about that extra few minutes sleep-in they crave.

If you have a combination of older and younger kids, have them work together. Enlist the help go the bigger kids to help feed and dress the littlies, and it will free you up to get ready yourself!

So, by just a few simple tweaks to the way things get done, you can make it that much easier to get out the door on time each morning without stress.

For more tips on getting control back over a busy life, simply download a free copy of my ebook “5 Big Mistakes Most Busy Mums Make That Keep Their Lives Chaotic & Disorganised”

What routines have you put in place to help your house run smoother in the mornings? Please share with us in the comments below.

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