Tips for getting out the door in the morning?

meg1974

I need some help with my morning routine. It seems like no matter what I do, we end up rushing, and I don't want to do that.

Both girls just want to play, and don't move quickly for anything. They take a really long time to eat breakfast. DD1 refuses to dress herself, DD2 won't put her shoes on, etc.

I tried getting up earlier, but it doesn't help. They usually wake up on their own, so it's not that they are going to bed too late.

TIA for any advice you have!

Spin313

My kids are dalliers, too. I try to have as much ready to go for the next day as possible...clothes out, and school bag packed (other than lunch). We eat breakfast almost right after they wake up, because that takes the longest. I also give updates on how much time we have left.

rsd12

Last year we struggled with our am routine. My oldest wanted more time to play with his brothers before school. So we changed things around. Most days boys get dressed before coming downstairs. Clothes have always been picked out, bags packed, lunches made - happen the night before too. After bfast they brush their teeth (rare occasion eat first then get dressed). And they usually have 10-15 mins to play. I wake them an hour and 5/10 mins before we leave the house too. It works for us!

mommymegan831

School days we need to be out by 6:30.  They're up at 6, DD has usually been laying in our bed since 5:30 and DS needs to be woken up, but at 1 1/2 he's still easy.  DD sometimes fights getting ready, but she has no choice.  We started a sticker chart which has helped and sometimes we'll stop for a few munchkins, which she only gets if we get out early.  Days when we don't have to be out until 9 or so and we eat breakfast and play a bit we always seem to be running late, for me it seems like if you really have to be somewhere it works out best to just get up and go.

kelleykins81

i seem to be having a problem getting out the door too.  even if we're ready early, i somehow always end up late.  i just recently set an alarm on my phone that goes off 15 mins before we have to leave.  and i try to tell myself we need to be in the car about 10 mins before we actually do.  sometimes it works!  ) 

cmrand4

I lay out both kids' clothes the night before, I either shower the night before or set an alarm to get up before kids do, make breakfast before it's time for DS to wake up so that he goes directly to the table to eat instead of playing first, keep a toothbrush in the powder room so that there's no going upstairs, I also give updates.  If he's really dallying, I put his brother in his carseat and open the garage door.  He knows we're going out the door! Also, no tv in the am.  That was meltdown disaster for us. GL! It's hard at our house too!

neverblushed

I struggled with this too until I really readjusted things. Here's what helped me:

--shoes, jackets, bags/backpacks, and winter gear is put in the "ready" position the night before.

--everyone has an alarm clock of their own.  This seemed a little harsh at first, but my kids loved having their own alarm clocks, and I loved not having to be the one who woke them up.  They don't argue with the alarm clock.

--do ALL dressing and bathroom stuff before breakfast, get up, pee, brush teeth, brush hair, get dressed before you even come into the living room or kitchen.

--eat breakfast next.  No TV during breakfast.

--play or watch TV until 10 minutes before you have to go out the door.

--TV off. Get shoes, jackets, backpacks on starting 10 minutes before you want to actually be out the door or you won't make it on time.

I just wound up eliminating TV from the morning routine entirely because it was too much of a distraction.

VTbride05

neverblushed said:

I struggled with this too until I really readjusted things. Here's what helped me:

--shoes, jackets, bags/backpacks, and winter gear is put in the "ready" position the night before.

--everyone has an alarm clock of their own.  This seemed a little harsh at first, but my kids loved having their own alarm clocks, and I loved not having to be the one who woke them up.  They don't argue with the alarm clock.

--do ALL dressing and bathroom stuff before breakfast, get up, pee, brush teeth, brush hair, get dressed before you even come into the living room or kitchen.

--eat breakfast next.  No TV during breakfast.

--play or watch TV until 10 minutes before you have to go out the door.

--TV off. Get shoes, jackets, backpacks on starting 10 minutes before you want to actually be out the door or you won't make it on time.

I just wound up eliminating TV from the morning routine entirely because it was too much of a distraction.

A lot of these worked for us too. No TV during the week. My 5 year old gets dressed in his room, uses the bathroom, and comes down ready for the day. I get the 2 year old up and dressed and hair done. Breakfast, play until ready to go. I try not to put a lot of pressure on them. I also prep a breakfast that they will eat faster than others. Often Ill read to them while they eat as it keeps them focused on eating. GL!