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The Editor's Desk - From Beneath the Clutter
Feature Article - Back to school means getting your kids organized and back on track
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Phew! Just got back last night from a trip to see my dad. We drove both ways, so it was a pretty tiring trip. But the kids had a lot of fun getting to know a grandpa that they don't know very well.
Of course, I'm just exhausted. But we were able to drop the kids off with my husband's parents last night (kids begged for it when the option was offered), so I got to sleep in a bit this morning. I feel much better.
Now to play catch-up! Have to see what I missed while I was too busy to be online much.
It's only mid-August but before long the kids will be back to school and it will be time to get that weekday routine back on track.
There's no time like the present to start thinking about getting your kids organized for the school year. It's just like back to school shopping why fight the crowds the last week of August when you can get a jumpstart on things right now?
I've spoken with several friends recently who have agreed one of their biggest hurdles each fall is getting their kids up and out each morning. Over coffee we discussed what works and what doesn't within their respective families.
First off most of us feel that there simply isn't enough time each morning to accomplish all we need to do. Sure, we can set our alarm clocks earlier but there's more to it than that. Everyone's morning schedule needs to be considered. For instance, it may only take you 45 minutes to get yourself ready but it may take you one and a half hours or longer to get your entire family out the door. It's important to allot an appropriate amount of time for each family member to get ready and then build in some contingency for those days when things may not go according to plan.
In our house, my husband and I get up first, do our respective workouts, get ourselves showered and ready, and then check to make sure the kids haven't hit the snooze button on their respective alarms. Our daughter's alarm goes off next followed by our son's half an hour later.
The best way my friends and I have found to stay on top of our morning routines and to eliminate a lot of stress is to make some things a priority the night before. Leaving everything to the morning - no matter how early you plan to get up is never wise.
Create a communication centre. Get a firm handle on your family's activities by creating an effective communication system that keeps all those small daily details organized like extra curricular activities, appointments, invitations, school papers etc. The kitchen is usually the most ideal location for such a communication centre.
Your centre should consist of a large family calendar, a dry erase board for messages, a bulletin board, and an inbox for each family member. Make it a rule that backpacks must be unloaded right away and important papers put in the appropriate in-boxes. As parents it's then our job to go through our child's in boxes just before tucking them in to make sure there won't be any surprises come morning.
Eliminate battles over clothing. If your kids change clothes a lot and you typically end up in argument with them over what they want to wear, encourage them instead make their clothing decisions the night before and set out their clothes before going to bed.
Organize backpacks before bed. To ensure that everyone is ready for the next day, encourage the loading of books, homework and other things like gym clothes and signed school forms into your kids' backpacks the night before. Then all they have to do is add their lunch (also made the night before but kept refrigerated). To keep things simple hang backpacks on hooks near the exit door along with any other items they need to take that won't fit in their backpack.
Prepare for breakfast the night before. Consider whipping up a muffin mix; make up a frozen container of orange juice or setting the table the night before. Offer a very limited menu of healthy foods that are easy-to-prepare. Share the breakfast prep and cleanup duties among family members.
Schedule bathroom time. If bathroom time is a premium in your home consider a rotation schedule and a set time for each child. Use a timer to alert you child that their assigned time is up. To reduce bathroom congestion even further give each child her own mirror and set up a personal grooming space in her own room.
Create a morning chore chart. If everyone needs to get up and out each morning it isn't fair if one person is left clearing the kitchen table, emptying the dishwasher, washing the dishes etc. Instead give everyone a task and post it in chart form. Have each child check off tasks as completed. In our home we have a no-play-until-ready rule e.g. there's no TV watching or computer time until chores have been done and they have everything ready for school.
Reward effort and positive behavior. You may want to encourage your child by providing a special activity like story time when he's ready a few minutes early or rewarding a week of positive effort with a family outing. Use stars or tokens as a way of tracking positive behavior throughout the week.
With everything said and done, I firmly believe that one of the best things you can do for your family is to keep to a reasonable bedtime and wake up schedule. This means not varying from your weekday routine too much on weekends. You see, once you've established a daily rhythm let it work for not against you. Drastically mixing things up for two days out of seven can really wreck havoc on your child's body clock making Monday mornings a real struggle for all. And a stressful Monday morning can leave the whole family worn out and too tired Monday night to do all your nightly preparations for the next day. So do yourself and your kids a favor, set a specific time for them to bathe, brush their teeth, and go to bed all seven days of the week.
For more creative ideas on calming morning chaos and getting your family up and out please visit http://www.familysanitysavers.com/morningmadness.html Sherrie Le Masurier is a lifestyle columnist and organizing consultant who offers up smart solutions for busy families via www.familysanitysavers.com - Copyright 2007.
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