Guess what time it is?!? It’s Back-to-School time! The chaotic race to get your kids from bed to bus (or car) and off to school has begun. It’s a mini-D-day every day that can cause gnashing of teeth and tears. It’s a struggle — and a marathon, not a sprint. We at the Ramsey house have been doing this for nearly two decades and have discovered a few tips that make it easier or at least less chaotic. (And like you, we are struggling to get back into the routine.)
1. Do as much as you can the night before. (We struggle at this one). Make your lunches, lay out clothes, get breakfast prep (bowls, cereal) ready — make things as easy as you can in the morning. Caffeine doesn’t kick in fast enough for you to be on your A game and get all that done before 7 a.m. Trust me.
2. Go back to the future. Our kitchen is the hub of “Operation Get the Heck to School” and we have a wall clock that helps us stay on target. If you have one, too, set it ahead five minutes. It’s a Jedi Mind Trick that creates a sense of urgency.
3. Loose the Snooze. Parents, get up five minutes earlier (AKA don’t hit the snooze). It’s easier to find five minutes at the front end of the morning than when you are late heading out the door.
4. Put the phone down. Make a “no phone” policy until everyone is ready (I am looking at myself here). We used to have a TV that was on in the morning, but don’t do that anymore (we watched 9/11 live because of that. Now we’d have to wait on a push alert on our phone).
5. Avoid Sleep Creep. Every day of school, your kids will sleep one minute later. I call it sleep creep and it is a very real thing. You have to stay on target in the morning. Make sure they are up and moving — as much as we want our kids to be responsible, they are our offspring. They want to hit the snooze, too.
Bonus: If kids continue to struggle getting out of bed, I recommend an air horn. It’s cruel but effective.
(We struggle at this one). Make your lunches, lay out clothes, get breakfast prep (bowls, cereal) ready — make things as easy as you can in the morning. Caffeine doesn’t kick in fast enough for you to be on your A game and get all that done before 7 a.m. Trust me.
2. Go back to the future. Our kitchen is the hub of “Operation Get the Heck to School” and we have a wall clock that helps us stay on target. If you have one, too, set it ahead five minutes. It’s a Jedi Mind Trick that creates a sense of urgency.
3. Loose the Snooze. Parents, get up five minutes earlier (AKA don’t hit the snooze). It’s easier to find five minutes at the front end of the morning than when you are late heading out the door.
4. Put the phone down. Make a “no phone” policy until everyone is ready (I am looking at myself here). We used to have a TV that was on in the morning, but don’t do that anymore (we watched 9/11 live because of that. Now we’d have to wait on a push alert on our phone).
5. Avoid Sleep Creep. Every day of school, your kids will sleep one minute later. I call it sleep creep and it is a very real thing. You have to stay on target in the morning. Make sure they are up and moving — as much as we want our kids to be responsible, they are our offspring. They want to hit the snooze, too.
Bonus: If kids continue to struggle getting out of bed, I recommend an air horn. It’s cruel but effective.