Toddlers and school timings never go hand in hand. It is either their laziness or the fact that the schools start really early, it is always a running race that you have to win. Mothers are the most affected lot in this game. If it is working moms, then the entire scenario is totally different. Too many things at once and you have no idea what you are doing. But, with our guidelines, you might not have to fall in the line of mad rush everyday anymore. Here are some tested and tried tips for every mom who is struggling to help your child go to school on time.
Tips to send children to school on time
1The night before school
You got to make sure that you have everything in place the previous night itself. It might be extremely difficult to get up the next day and do all of it together. It is better to do half things prior to the actual day. Fill water bottles and keep them in the bag, cloth picking, shoe polishing can be a few things you can do. This way your kid also knows he/she has to go to sleep early and will eventually learn to sleep without your assistance.
2Prepare snacks
It is always good to have things in prior. So why don’t you have your child’s snacks also ready? It is easier and saves a hell lot of time. In the morning, you are probably running everywhere and you don’t have the time to think of a snack. Do that the previous night. Pack snacks, fill the bottles and keep it aside.
3Get your child to bed on time
This could be one of the most important, yet painful tasks of the lot. You need to make sure your child sleeps on time. When the clock ticks 9, the child has to be in bed. Bring in a schedule. Feed the child in prior by late evening, tell her/him stories and prepare for the night. You can save a lot of time if your child sleeps early. Post the child’s sleep, you can pack all other things and spend some time with your husband.
4Keep shoe and sock in one place
Most of the times, you realize that the sock is not clean or shoes are not polished. If you allot a place for shoes, you would not have to search for them every morning. Teach your kid to not throw the shoe anywhere and everywhere. Bring a routine so he/she knows that the shoes have to be kept in one particular place. Also, keep at least 3-4 pairs of socks to avoid clashes. Polish the shoes the previous night to save time.
What to do every morning
5No electronics in the morning
Switching on the Tv or YouTube videos or games are a big NO-NO in the morning. Never encourage children to play games or switch on the TV in the morning. Allot a particular time in the evening for them to watch, which is fine. Mornings are for fresh mind and so ask them to read stories if they are already ready.
6You decide how the child should look
Never let the child decide on things like hair, dress, color. This might take quite a while if you are letting them do it. It is always best for you to conclude on red jacket or blue jacket, pony tail or pig tail, bread jam or grilled cheese. This depends on the time you have. So ,do it according to your time.
7Set the mood
Wake the kid up by 6 if your school is at 7:30 am. A good one and half hours is needed for your child to get ready. Once the child wakes up, remember to do the basics for him/her. Brush, quick shower, dress, hair, breakfast and then scoot. Once you start rolling, things will flow automatically. Again, scheduling a proper routine is in your hands. You can definitely use your husband’s help in this.
8Keep breakfast simple
You may wonder why, but it saves a lot of time when the breakfast is limited to slices of bread, jam, wedges, mashed potato or just milk and cereal. Fruits are the best so cutting slices of banana, oranges and apples are the easiest route to simple breakfast.
9Don’t miss the hugs and cuddles
Mornings are so busy and competitive, that you sometimes forget to hug or kiss your little one. Don’t forget that. Remember to communicate the importance of being on time at the school for your kid. When he/she is done with breakfast, cuddle and pat a kiss on the cheeks. This will remind how a small gesture can mean a lot. End of the day it is the small things that matter the most.
Remember that you can’t do everything by yourself. Delegate work appropriately when necessary with your husband and get his help when it comes sending kids to school on time. His help may come as a blessing in disguise most of the times. If you are a single parent, hire a maid to help you with the other chores. The smallest things can make a huge difference. Happy parenting!
-Pavithra Ravi
