We’ve all been there before. You dash back and forth between packing lunches, making sure the kids are awake and getting dressed, and somehow finding enough time to make yourself a large pot of coffee to help you through the process. It can be absolutely exhausting. But, luckily, there are plenty of tips out there about how to manage and save time for Super Moms and Super Dads like you!
5. Get the Kids Adjusted to a Consistent Schedule
Children aren’t so different from adults. Like us, children find comfort in routines. Not only does a schedule make them more efficient, but also it gives them a sense of specific, set times to wake up every school day, get ready, eat, and take a breather before darting out the door to school. A morning schedule serves as a great learning lesson in time management, and you’ll find that your kids will be more punctual, awake and happy as their schedules develop consistency.
4. Prep the Night Before
We understand. There’s hardly enough time in the day to finish today’s tasks, especially if you start preparing every night for tomorrow’s busy morning. But nightly preparation by both the parent and child makes it much easier to get out the door the next morning. For children, a few preparations that are key to an easier morning include laying out tomorrow’s clothes, having the book bag packed and ready to go and making sure your alarm clock is set before bed. For parents, make sure to decide on a healthy breakfast for the next morning, pack all lunches, finish looking over homework and do anything else that can help your child have a more productive day.
3. Make Sure Your Kids Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Depending on your child’s age, he or she may need anywhere between 8 to 12 hours of sleep each night in order to have the happiest, most productive day possible. Typically, younger children need more sleep. Children ages 5-12 usually need anywhere between 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night, whereas children ages 12-18 may need a little less sleep ranging from 8-9 hours a day. Every child is different, though, so make sure to monitor your kid’s early morning behavior to determine if he or she is getting too little sleep.
2. Breakfast is Key
Skipping breakfast has similar effects as not getting enough sleep. It can cause fatigue, irritability and a shortened attention span, to name a few. After a full night’s sleep, your child’s body needs refueling in order to be productive throughout the entire day, especially during the morning hours before lunch. Make sure to stick with healthy options that are rich with vitamins and minerals, such as bananas, apples, whole grain cereals, eggs or oatmeal. There are plenty of delicious, unique recipes out there, so you’ll never have to worry about your child getting tired of the same breakfast each day.
1. Get Elastic Gear
Did you know that — on average — people spend at least 12 hours per year tying and retying their shoes? Now imagine if you have one or more children who cannot tie their own shoes. It’s absolutely shocking how much time can be reclaimed once you toss out traditional laces and install LOCK LACES®. These one-time installation shoelaces will definitely get you out the door faster every morning. Lock Laces® fit both kids and adults because they are one-size-fits-all, coming in a variety of colors to match every shoe color. Your child’s teacher will love having one less pair of shoes to re-tie, and you can take a huge sigh of relief knowing that your shoe-tying days are over, too!
You can also save valuable time and money by shopping for children’s pants and shorts with elastic waistbands. Kids tend to grow out of their clothes very quickly, and it helps to have a little extra stretch so you don’t have to buy new pants every couple months. Your child will love the comfort and convenience of the elastic waistband, too.
Even though mornings can be the most hectic part of the day for parents, these tips will help keep you and your child destressed, organized and running out the door on time!
