Hoorary!  Back to school today for us!

Do I really mean hoorary?

I think so.  We got our girls off to school this morning.  It was enjoyable and fun this morning. We left early and had lots of time to get them settled in their classrooms.

How is this possible? Let’s talk about organization to help us with the morning and nighttime routines.

Nighttime

Yes, the organization should start the night before.  Everything that can be done the night before should be done.  Pick out clothes, get snacks ready, fill up water bottles and anything else you can think of.  The most important thing the night before is getting enough sleep. Put these lovies to bed early and let them sleep for as long as they can.

Morning

Good morning to you!  Right, are you a morning person?  If not, or even if you are, the job still has to get done.  So I’m going to say that either you, your partner and/or your children are not morning people.  Some of you are, but some aren’t. Let’s start by placing an alarm clock into your children’s room. Yes, this has been a game changer for me.  When they wake up by themselves, they awake so much easier.

Morning Routine

I’m going to separate this one because waking up is hard enough and then doing what you need to do in the morning is even harder.  Oh my!  First, give yourself enough time to wake up before the craziness. If you need to get out of the house at the same time as the kiddos, take a shower before the craziness starts.  If not, get up and enjoy your quiet time.  Once the kids are up and dressed, it’s making and eating breakfast, brushing teeth, brushing hair and getting out the door. You need to leave some lead time into your schedule for the occasional clothes change or hair crisis.  Congrats, now you’re out the door!

Afternoon

This is different for everyone depending on your schedule.  If your children come home from school, first thing is taking a look at the backpack. Yes, I highly recommend looking in the backpack the minute they arrive. Are there forms you need to sign?  Are there snacks that have spilled? Of course, then there’s the homework. If your kids stay at aftercare, same routine, just later.  Checking that backpack is the key to success. If your children are older, hopefully you have this down pat by now and they’re bringing things to you!

Partner, Divide and Conquer!

This one is so up to you!  You both know what you strive for and what you need to do.  Figure out which task is your thing and own it. If you feel you’re doing too much, it’s time to talk and figure out how to reorganize and share the load.

Hope these tips helped you. If I have left any out that you think would help others, please reach out to let me know.