7. Have a Set Routine

I know this is much easier said than done. I don’t know how many times we’ve tried to come up with a routine that we are all happy with. For the most part, there is a basic routine and some parts are very flexible. I get up, turn on the coffee pot, feed the animals, wake the kids, get dressed, wake the kids again, let the dog back in, and then I stand in the doorway and talk to the kids until I’m positive they are awake. Some mornings I luck out and they get up on the first wake-up call!

6. Set Clothes out the Night before

This is extremely helpful if you have to get both yourself and a small child dressed in the morning. It saves a lot of time from rummaging through the closet and dresser drawers to try and find a complete outfit. I usually have an easy time picking out clothes in the evening. For some reason I can’t seem to pull off picking out a good outfit in the morning. My boys are both teenagers, so all they have to do is choose between which pair of pants to put on and what t-shirt to pull out of the drawer.

5. Do Laundry on the Weekends

I’m sure this is a given for most people. If I find I’m running short on time, I’ll have one of the boys put a load of their own clothes in the washer. That’s the beauty of having a teenager who knows how to run the washing machine! Doing a load of laundry on the weekend also gives you a chance to pick and choose what to wash for the week, in case you don’t have time to wash everything in the hamper.

4. Hang Outfits Together

I used to do this for my son when he was very young. He would help me pick out the outfits to place on the hangers, so it wasn’t as if I was telling him what to wear. This made it easier for him to grab something in the morning to wear to school. I find that this technique works for my own clothes as well. I have a few pairs of slacks that only go with a certain number of dress shirts. Picking out 5 different outfits for the week is also easier to do on the weekend. It sure does speed up the time it takes to get the kids and I dressed for the day.

3. Don’t Go All out for Breakfast if You Don’t Have Time

I remember my mom getting up early and making bacon and eggs or pancakes for breakfast before I went to school. This was only after my younger sisters were born and my mom quit her office job to take on the new job of taking care of my younger sisters each day. If you have an assortment of something that is quick to prepare for breakfast you won’t have to worry about your child heading off to school with a growling stomach. I have a variety of things the boys like; instant oatmeal, bagels, toast, and cereal.

2. Give Yourself a Bit of Extra Time

I know I need at least 20 minutes to gather my wits about what I need to do for the day. After this allotted time has passed, then I’ll wake up the boys. If I wake up before my alarm goes off, I find it easier to get out of bed then, instead of trying to catch a few more winks. Even if I’m a little bit sleepy, it is still easier to start the day right then. I know that once I’m up I can have those few extra minutes to drink a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy it!

1. Ask for Help when You Need It

This is always a hard one for me. I find it much easier to do something myself than to take time to explain how it needs to be done. I’ve gotten a little bit better over the years. There are times when I recognize the fact that I’m not Superwoman and I physically cannot do everything myself. Even if you have very small children, there might be some way that they can help out on school mornings.

I’m sure most people have their own method of getting prepared for a school week. I hope at least one of these 7 tips on handling school day mornings is one you can put to good use. A lot of times I think about good tips, but don’t always follow them until I see them written down in front of me. What tips do you have for making school day mornings run without lots of chaotic moments?

Top Photo Credit: S@ilor