Getting Out the Door

As the mama of six children aged newborn to nine, I clearly run a busy household. With back-to-school season upon us, many mamas have been looking to me for advice on how to deal with the stress and anxiety of getting everyone ready and out the door on time in the morning.
 
It’s been an ongoing learning process for me – a process that hit its peak around the time the fifth baby arrived. My oldest son was six and attending school full days. His two younger sisters, ages three and four were in junior and senior kindergarten, respectively. It meant I had to have three kids ready to catch the school bus by 7:45 a.m. everyday, while juggling a newborn and 17-month-old. The challenges were countless. Our Canadian winters provided further complications with the additional step of putting on snowsuits and boots. To add to the pressure, I was doing it on my own, since my husband leaves for work right around the time the children are waking up.

This school year sees me sending four children off to school, with two still at home getting under foot in the mornings. So what have I learned about keeping my sanity while maintaining my record of never having a child miss the school bus?

Got a baby?
If baby needs a feed while you are getting children out the door, it is game over for mama. Try to manipulate baby’s feeding schedule so that you are free for a half hour before take off time.

Let the little things go:
So maybe your toddler and baby have to sit in their nighttime diaper a little longer than you’d like, but get those big kids out the door before dealing with the little ones. I don’t think there are any studies to indicate that sitting in a diaper for an extra half hour in the morning causes any long-term damage.

Prep the night before:
This is obvious, but I mean really prep. Clothes laid out, cereal on the table, backpacks packed, lunches made. Anything that can be done in advance, do it. If you ever find yourself saying “oh, I’ll just do that in the morning”, promptly tell yourself to shut up and go and get it done.

Don’t let children make choices in the morning:
I know this sounds harsh, but if you start asking everyone what they want for breakfast, you’ll soon turn into a short order cook. Serve up one breakfast item to all. Keep it simple – go with cereal and fruit if you can get away with it.

Train for independence:
I have a “Before School Plan” poster hanging up in my hallway. There are two sections. First section outlines everything the children have to do in the morning – get dressed, go to bathroom, eat breakfast, brush teeth, etc. Next section is a back pack check list: Have I packed my lunch and water bottle? Is it my library day? Do I need my gym shoes? Do I have my agenda?
 
You can personalize yours to your child’s routine. This visual cue is very helpful for children – I’m always referring them to the “Before School Plan” as a reminder to self-evaluate how far along they are in getting ready. If you’ve got a non-reader, do it with pictures. Incidentally, I also have an “After School Plan” which instructs them to put their agendas in their in-trays, put lunch boxes on the kitchen counter, etc.

Find yourself a “secret weapon”:
My secret weapon is a neighbourhood grade seven kid we call Miss Nicole. She comes to the house 15 minutes before the bus arrives, helps with any last minute issues, then walks them to the bus stop and supervises them on the bus. She returns them home at the end of the day as well. This saves me from bundling up the little ones and standing in sub-zero temperatures waiting for a school bus. The few bucks I throw at Miss Nicole each week is money well spent.

If you also have to get yourself out the door and presentable in a timely fashion, the only way to do it is to wake up half an hour before the children to get yourself ready. With a little patience, organization and a master plan, there can be a smooth back-to-school transition, without the stress and anxiety that usually accompany this time of year.

Julie Cole is one of the co-founders of Mabel’s Labels Inc. and the proud mother of six. Read her blogs at www.blog.mabel.ca and www.thebabymachine.com