No matter how much you love your family, busy mornings can test the patience of everyone, making it the most stressful time of the day.
Imagine, if instead of rushing around yelling at the kids to hurry up or quizzing your partner about upcoming appointments, you could enjoy a serene morning routine where you all leave for the day feeling relaxed. Sounds too good to be true? Well, with our busy morning hacks, you can transform your mornings, giving you a little extra quality time with your loved ones.
Do what you can the night before
It might sound obvious, but the more you can do the night before, the easier your morning will be. Get clothes ready for both you and the children and lay them out. Check your diary for the next day so that you can pack bags with everything you need.
Get yourself ready first
It’s difficult to get ready when you’re trying to look after the kids at the same time. Set your alarm for 20 minutes before the children wake so you can enjoy a coffee and get ready in peace before they need your help.
Bags at the ready
Teach your children to pack their school bags on an evening to avoid last minute panics on school mornings. This will give you chance to find anything they need for the school day and you can leave the bag in the hallway ready to go.
Keep a family calendar
With lots of appointments going on, it can be difficult to keep up with family commitments. Keep a calendar or noticeboard in the kitchen and everyone will know what is going on before they leave the house for the day.
Bathroom rules
Fighting for the bathroom can be a big source of tension on busy mornings. Create a schedule so everyone knows whose turn it is to use the bathroom first. Set a timer if necessary.
Ditch the tech
Mobile phones and gadgets can really slow things down on a morning. You might think checking social media will only take a minute but it’s easy to get sucked in and the minutes can fly by when you’re online. Ban technology until everyone is dressed and ready to leave the house.
Music motivator
If younger children struggle to stay focussed when getting ready on a morning, play music to help them. For example, set a challenge to get dressed before the song finishes or let them listen to three tracks while eating breakfast and then it’s time to go.
Emergency breakfasts
We all have those days when things go wrong and if you’re really struggling for time, you might find it hard to fit in breakfast. But starting the day on an empty stomach isn’t good for anyone. So, keep a stash of emergency breakfasts – things that you can eat on the run or give to the kids to eat in the car, so they have something to eat first thing. You could even keep your own breakfast at work, so you can eat without rushing once you arrive at your office.
Keep a ‘spares’ box in the hall
Often, it’s looking for last-minute items that makes us late in the morning. Keep a box of spare items in the hall and you’ll always have what you need. Loose change for parking or school contributions, spare pens, extra socks, and baby wipes for emergency cleanups are all useful but you can tailor your ‘spares’ box to suit your own family.