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I'm not going to sugar-coat it; getting four kids up and out the door for school is a royal pain. Especially so when I have to be at work in the morning, too, and can't do the drop-off in my pj pants, coat, and pontyail, coffee cup in my non-driving hand.
The cast of characters in my house are in second, fourth, sixth, and eighth grades this year, so I've been herding them in the mornings long enough to: a) have learned how to make things (almost) flow, and b) tell you that it can get easier the older they get. Not any less busy or loud our chaotic, but a little less hands-on.
I'll start with my list of lessons learned and then go over an idealized version of a school morning at my house. Every family is different, so of course your mileage will vary. Got excellent time and sanity saving tips? Please share them in the comments below!
The Night Before Stuff
1) Pack lunches and fill water bottles. Doing it when it's late and you (or the kids if they're able) are tired beats racing to do it when it's early and you or the kids are tired. Hot lunch family? Put notes in your calendar to check the balance on the lunch account a couple of times a month (if your school offers that service) or make sure you've got correct change, with reusable, labeled baggies or envelopes maybe for the littlest or less organized ones.
2) Choosing outfits ahead of time is a great idea, of course. It also never hurts to have them pick a back-up in case they are in a snit and have changed their mind when it's time to get dressed. That way, the potential ten-minute, "But I don't want to wear THAT today!" discussion can hopefully be tackled in two seconds with an, "Okay, here you go, then!" at-hand solution.
3) Check for any due library books, permission slips, homework to turn in, etc. and be sure they are all filed in the right kid's backpack.
4) Put the backpacks by the front door. You'd think they're too big to lose. You'd be wrong.
5) Have each kid put their shoes on top of their backpack. Put a sock in each shoe.
The Day Of Stuff
6) No electronics until everyone is ready to go. One kid gets ready early and turns on YouTube or a video game, and you are such a goner. Kids ready early may read.
7) Stick to the either/or rule: "Red jacket or blue today?" "Pigtails or ponytails?" rather than, "Which jacket do you want?" or "How should we do your hair?"
8) If they take any medicines in the morning, make sure they get put out on the table so they can be taken with breakfast. If you sometimes have to serve them toast in the car while you drive to school because you missed that window for a sit-down breakfast, keep a bottle or two of water in the car to wash down the meds. Favorite breakfast or energy bars are already stashed in your glove box, right?
9) Monitor their overall progress and help them stay focused on the task at hand. Give them both a ten- and five-minute warning before it's time to go.
10) Set the mood. Be mellow even if you aren't feeling it! I discourage any competitive racing in the morning, especially at the breakfast table. If I stay as calm and relaxed as possible, we are less likely to have upsetting and time-consuming blow-ups. This is even more important if you are running late. Things take far longer when everyone is stresed out.
Bonus Tip! Check your watch, cell phone, or timepiece of choice against the school bell to see if it rings when your clock says it should. We once went through a phase during which the school clocks were set about three minutes ahead of my iPhone. We were a little bit late a lot of the time until I figured that out one day.
And now, here's how I attempt to weave all those tips into a fast-flying hour or so each morning:
Before it's time to get the kids up, I get up and get myself 100 percent ready to walk out the door. This is the same
