Starting school schedule

[Letmesleepalready]

Eldest is starting school and I can already imagine the stress levels going through the roof by the time we need to leave in the morning.
Ideally I want the laundry and washing up done before that, and I also need to make sure DDs hair is brushed (and teeth!)
She should be able to get changed herself, but could easily faff too long.
What are your best tips to get us out on time (and how long does it take from getting up to being ready to leave for your DCs? I'm still not sure what time she needs to be up by!)

[clary]

Get everything ready the night before - all clothes out, shoes clean and by door, book bag ready, packed lunch ready if applicable.

Have breakfast laid out on table.

Work back from school drop off time. Say whistle goes at 9am, she can be on playground from 8.50; aim for that. 15-min walk? (walking is easier to calculate as it varies less) - aim to leave at 8.30, giving you 5 mins to faff on the way. So aim to be brushing teeth at 8.20 before getting on shoes and coat.

I reckon breakfast takes about 15 mins, hair maybe 3-4, dressing maybe 10 mins. I would allow an hour tho from waking her to needing to go. It's worth you getting up and ready earlier if you can then you can focus on her. So maybe you get up 7am and shower and dress; then get her up 7.30, should give you lots of time.

As long as younger ones are not then going on to pre-school, they can do school run without breakfast and in pjs if needed (esp if baby in pushchair!!)

[ceeveebee]

Our twins start on Monday too, but as they've been at day nursery 8am-6pm for the last year I don't think it's going to be much different.
Get clothes, underwear, shoes, coat and bags ready the night before. I often braid DDs hair the night before too.
Kids get dressed before coming down for breakfast
No TV or toys in the morning. Definitely no laundry!

[ICantFindAFreeNickName2]

I agree with getting everything ready the night before.
My ds was allowed to watch one tv program, if he got ready in time. It was the one thing that would encourage him to speed up.

[Pigeonpost]

Ours aren't allowed downstairs until they are dressed and we/they set their clothes out the night before. We have to leave at 8.25 so 8.10 is teeth brushing time followed by shoes on, coats on and go. Clock watching is essential. Book bags/lunches etc all need to be done the night before. Mine shower at night rather than in the morning. Routine is key.

[FusionChefGeoff]

We lay out everything but downstairs. We even have downstairs toothbrushes and toothpaste so once we're down, we stay down - less faffing. And yes to bribery eg tv if you're ready quickly. Then tv time is time to finish getting little one ready and tidy up breakfast. I get dressed the second I get up so I know I'm done.

[Letmesleepalready]

Ok, will make sure all clothes are ready before hand. We've already banned TV during the week due to behaviour, so won't be such a shock!
We've bought a wall clock, and I was thinking of marking the 5 minutes before we have to leave so she knows she has to be ready by then.
The first week she's only in in the afternoon so I can do a few trial runs without being worried about lateness. (Although I'll have to make sure she stays clean all morning )

[Temporaryanonymity]

Dunno. But there seems to be lots of shouting involved.

Why would you do the laundry?

[birdieeeeeeeee]

Brush teeth before uniform is mummy biggest tip and time saver.

[birdieeeeeeeee]

My not mummy ffs

[Bluecarrot]

Laundry? Can't you do it at night?! Our machine has s delay function which is fab as I use it then just need to hang stuff in the morning but we don't have to be out early (yet!)
Dishes I can understand, but that only takes 5 mins if you run the basin of hot water while you make a cup of tea ( or whatever) then wash each piece as its finished with.

When my dd was younger I had her get changed in the bathroom - too many distractions in other rooms. I did my makeup and hair while she dressed and then I did her hair while she brushed her teeth.

[Letmesleepalready]

The laundry is because it took me years (I'm ashamed to say) to get into a routine, so now I put it on as soon as I wake up. But if I leave it in the machine any longer than the absolute minimum after it's finished, the clothes really stink. I don't know why, we regularly do a 90C wash to clean it, but it still smells. I'm actually thinking of trying that dettol wash thing to see if that helps. So if I put a load on, then I'd have to hang it out before leaving for school.

[Letmesleepalready]

I do need to do loads more in the evening, but as I'm a morning person, by 7pm I'm struggling to do much more than read/watch tv. Although I did tidy up a bit this evening (baby steps)

[ceeveebee]

I'd adjust your routine and do laundry in the evenings, I would never have time to hang a load out in the morning as we used to leave at 745 for nursery - I just about had time to empty dishwasher from night before and stick breakfast dishes in (although my two will be going to breakfast club after they've been in reception for a couple of weeks so I won't be giving them breakfast at home, winner!)

[ceeveebee]

Did your DD not go to nursery?

[ElornaElephant]

Try soda crystals and bleach in the machine on a 90°C wash, that Dettol stuff doesn't work, made it worse for me!

My LO goes to a SN nursery so his bus comes at fucking 7:45am - as many posters have already said, the best thing to do is prepare absolutely everything you can the night before. Keep breakfasts easy to eat and prepare - cereal, easy fruit like banana or grapes and water/milk. Uniform needs to be laid out in LOs room, I've found its actually easier to get my DS dressed and brush his hair as soon as he gets up rather than give him breakfast first. We both shower/bath the night before, I have my makeup and hair routine down to a very short amount of time. It's doable :)

[Wolfiefan]

Do you work too?
Don't dress a child for school in the morning if they aren't going until the PM. PJ am?!
Get ready the night before.
I don't allow mine breakfast until dressed. Awesome motivation.
I get up and dressed before I get them up.

[Letmesleepalready]

Ceeveebee yes she did but preschool was at 9 and 10 minutes walk away, with no uniform. School is 30 minutes walk, and I'm anticipating issues with the uniform (strong willed child, especially when clothes are involved) Oh and I spent most of last year shouting while trying to get everyone out on time so I'm hoping it won't be the same this year (probably deluding myself)

Elorna will try that, I usually do the soda crystals but not the bleach. Pity the dettol doesn't work.

Will try the teeth and hair first thing then.

[drspouse]

Do you have a timer on your machine?
If you absolutely must do it in the morning, use that and hang it up straight away.
Otherwise I think you're mad.

So far doing very well (only 2 days in to Reception but lots of experience with nursery).
All bags ready night before. If anyone needs tea when they come in it's packed and in the fridge (they used to have tea at nursery sometimes but it doesn't work with school schedules to do that any more).
Bags in specified places (mainly my bag next to charging station so I don't forget my phone)
Clothes on a hanger the night before (with nursery he got free choice but was pretty quick, though messy, at choosing).
Dressed before coming down/breakfast.
DS can get his own cereal so does that while I dress me and DD who is 2.
Then after he's eaten he has to get on his shoes and jumper, brush teeth and do suncream if relevant, then he can watch the iPad.
I get DD ready, several potty trips, remember I need shoes and my own teeth brushing.
School is on the way to my work/nursery so I think they can go in at 8.50/8.55 (it's been more vague the last two days) so then 10 mins early to find a parking place and chivvy DD, 10 min drive so leaving 8.25-8.30.

As the DCs refuse to sleep in past 7 we have plenty of time.

[Letmesleepalready]

I'm a sahm at the moment, just not a very organised or house proud one... So I wanted my basic cleaning to be done before leaving for school so I could tidy and clean properly when she's at school (if DD2 lets me)

[ceeveebee]

Ah we're the other way around - our nursery was 30 min walk away and school only 10, yey!
Our nursery had uniform too so my too are used to that - hopefully when your DD sees all the other children in uniform she'll be ok?
Good luck!

[steppemum]

people vary, but I always did breakfast before clothes as it prevents damage, same for teeth.
never have tv /screens on school day.

for your washing, open the door and tip it into a laundry basket, then hang it up when you get back form school run. This should stop it smelling.

Be prepared for lts of regression, child who can dress themselves suddenly can't anymore, and 'needs' Mummy's help. With dc 1 I was strict about making them do it, by dc3, I realised that a bit of TLC and mummy's help was more effective than me trying to force them to get dressed.

If you have a baby, be prepared to do everything for the baby after school run, except first feed.

[drspouse]

If I let the DCs back upstairs to dress after breakfast we'd never get out the door. They are going to mess up their clothes at school/nursery so I don't worry about the odd bit of toothpaste.

[Letmesleepalready]

I'd forgotten about the regression possibility. She's been so adamant she wants to be independent this last year, I'll have to take deep breaths if she needs me more!
Dd2 is 18 months but sometimes likes to sleep in more than dd1, so she may well have to wait or have a banana on the go!

[ceeveebee]

Yeah us too, no going downstairs in PJs on a weekday for us!

[Cristiane]

Your children should be brushing their teeth BEFORE not after breakfast. Which tends to make things easier anyway

Have things ready night before as much as possible.