So, this past week has shown myself busy with wedding preparations, normal chores, and work. Every time I turned around I seemed to be leaving again. Then I noticed a tweet today about how people get out the door, especially with little children. It seems to me that it is a recurring theme about people having to get places, and to get there on time. So, I thought that I would share some of my tips that I use to get my children and I out the door at a decent time.
Let's face it. Getting out the door can be an absolute nightmare! My family is not perfect in getting out the door and where we need to be on time, but I have found a few things that helps us the majority of the time to accomplish this goal.
First off, everyone gets baths in the evening when there will be no time to get it completed in the morning. This brings us to our second thing.
Secondly, when they are getting ready for baths (i.e. clean pajamas, etc), they also pull out their attire for the next day. Granted, my children are required to do that before bed regardless of whether or not they are receiving their baths before bed or in the morning.
Third, they are required to place all the items that they are wearing the next day in one of two places. They can either place it in a hanging sweater organizer bought specifically for this, or place them at the foot of their bed. If it is not in one of these two places in the morning, us as parents have no sympathy for the said individual about the "but I really wanted to wear that," and the "I don't want to wear that" cries as we quickly choose something else for them.
Fourth, we still have small children that are not potty trained. So, we still have a diaper bag. The diaper bag is checked and restocked in the evening prior to bed.
Fifth, if it is a morning where time is short, we plan for breakfast in advance. No, this doesn't mean quick runs to McDonald's for breakfast sandwiches. We make muffins or waffles that can quickly be heated up and served with either a fruit or yogurt first thing in the morning. We make a family time of it too. It gives us a chance to spend some time together as well as get some food done. When we are thinking far enough in advance, we even make enough that some of them can be frozen for a later date.
Sixth, if it is a school night, back packs are repacked with all school items before bed. This does include their lunches being packed.
Seventh, if it is a Sunday, kids eat breakfast in their pajamas so as to not get the nice church clothes messy prior to church. I would much rather have to throw a load of wash in to run while I am at church than to have to find another Sunday outfit last minute.
Finally, all shoes, coats, winter gear, lunches (for school days), etc. is located and placed in their appropriate position on their hook or shelf in the entryway. This ensures that anything that got drug out during the day and played with or used is put up and locatable to get out the door without doing that mad dash that we are so accustomed to doing in order to locate that one missing item when we really need to get going.
Like I said, we aren't perfect. We still have those days where we missed something when getting ready for bed. And, we still have those days that we are dragging our feet to get ready, even though everything is there to make it simple. But, most of the time we are able to get out the door and to where we need to be in plenty of time to allow for weather, traffic, or other unforeseeable occurrences that can't be avoided but could potentially cause a problem getting to our destination.
I hope that you find this helpful in planning your day in order to get out the door on time when needed! Hope to post again soon, but for now I got to fly!
Jennifer
