Your help required - top tips on surviving the school run

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Not looked at the other posts, but I find if we happen to meet one of DD's friends en route, then they run all the way to school!

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OMG! People actually have routines in the morning??? Am deeply ashamed by my pathetic attempts! However, we are always there on time somehow. I like to do my a own ablutions when I get back from dropping ds at nursery....then I can have a bath, blow dry my hair etc without having to break off to re-couple one of Thomas the Tanks trucks. I only have the one dc so its easier for me but we just seem to putter along in the mornings...watching a bit of thomas the tank, making hot milk (for ds) strong coffee (for me) getting breakfast ready together, eating breakfast etc. If we are ever running really late I just hop in the car (sorry custardo ) but most days we walk. Ds is in love with the lolly pop lady so we always have to cross with her! Am very impressed at those of you who are so organised you get things ready the night before!

Home school. Much easier.

Take them to school on Monday morning and don't collect them again till Friday afternoon.

Or use the services of a super-duper childminder (like me!!) so you don't have to do it yourself! (You just lift them out of bed, drop them off at minder's, and let her do the rest).

I want a Wii more than anyone else! As do all the children I collect from school.

Make things into a race e.g. who can get dressed quickest. If near Christmas, use related threats to non cooperators and fighting children eg Santa doesn't come to kids who throttle each other and are late for school.
If walking, bribe them with things like "if you hurry up you can post a letter for me"/"who can see a red car first" game etc.
If in car, give them drinks on the way.
Alternatively, pay someone to come to your house and get them ready every morning

having just the one Wii is no good to anyone, it will cause too many fights - so please just send it to me and my kids can have one each

I'm only selflessly offering to take it off your hands for the benefit of the current Wii-less mumsnetters - you will thank me for it - really

Always have a spare pair of socks for toddlers in the pram or car so that when they've eaten the first pair, chucked them out of the pram or shoved them down their nappy you may still arrive at the school gate without being reported to ss. A pair of wellies is handy too as one of the shoes generally goes on holiday with the socks too.

Don't get dressed before the kids. Wait til they've thrown up, dribbled milk and porridge and squirted toothpaste before you remove dressing gown. Leave at least half an hour after they are all ready to get dressed and have a coffee. If that time evaporates send dh on the school run.

Make sure that you know how long things really take to get done. Don't assume that because the journey takes 8 minutes in the car in the middle of the night without any other traffic that it will take the same at 8:50! Have a realistic timetable.

Don't log onto Mumsnet to see how the chats finished off the night before.

Do make an effort to find a car/walk pool. It amkes such a different to only have to make half (or fewer) journeys yourself, especially if you have little ones.

• sod teeth: if it's going to be a fight tell them you don't care if their teeth rot
• ditto coats "fine, be cold" - they'll learn
• Put any child refusing to get dressed in the car naked (or in their pyjamas) as dh did with recalcitrant dd this week. They soon realise you mean it when you say get dressed NOW
• do everything at least 15 minutes before you need to. So if you HAVE to leave by 8am, as I do, then start asking for shoes on at about twenty to eight. You've then got a chance of being in the car at eight

Bandstand, despite my attempts at routine,thats how most morning are in our house!!

get up very early.
shout a lot.

Buy a house 300 mtrs from school so you can leave at the last possible minute.

HAVE A BORING BUT EFFECTIVE ROUTINE

Would reiterate everything others have said. We have to leave house at 8.30 so I call the kids at 7. Make sure all kids know what they have to do. DS1 has to walk the dog before school every day, DD has to do 10 mins piano.

Make sure kids all dressed before feeding them.

Set clothes out for younger ones the night before. Set out bags/kits for everyone the night before

Make lunches the night before and put in fridge.

ALL kids must make their beds before school.

Teeth, hair. NO TV

I wish I could stick to my routine as it would make my life easier

Top 4 Targets: Fed, dressed, shoes on, coat-gloves-etc. on, out door.
Optional items: teeth brushed, hair brushed.

Make a schedule for getting the top 4 done (e.g., must be finished eating by 8am, must have coat on by 8:15, etc.). And stick to it. Fit optional targets around Top 4 Targets.

Almost goes without saying must do everything else the night before!!

Do everything as soon as possible; it they will tumble out of PJs into school clothes before breakfast, then just do it. Don't even think twice.

No TV or anything video/screens/movie before school, totally agree with that one!

Try not to let them start any playing, drawing, either.

Shove them out in the garden to wait for others if they are ready early.

only have boys - saves on hair grooming time

if you and the children have problems getting out of bed in the morning (ahem), make sure you have a critical time in your head. A critical time is the latest time you know the kids can get their uniforms on, shove some sort of food at them, you can pull some clothes on and run screaming out the house to school. It's not an ideal start to the day but if you have problem mornings, you need to know that point.

Also, invest in a good hat. It hides the obvious 'didn't have time to brush my hair' and 'didn't make it to the shower' evils.

Oh and if you have a dd, French plait her hair before bedtime so you don't have to do it in the morning. Or invest in those head scarves that hide bed hair very well.

Move so you live 3 minutes walk away from school gates

If they are reluctant or slow walkers try cycling or scooting instead. Faster and they enjoy it more.

Threaten to take away their favourite Christmas present if they refuse to get out of bed and get dressed on the first day of the Spring term. That's 100% succesful IME.

Be organised. Get clothes, PE kits etc out the night before, clean shoes or whatever. No TV until breakfast is eaten, kids are dressed, teeth cleaner and they've checked they have everything they need for the day.

If you drive to school try and get there a little bit earlier, this saves on having to fight for a parking space and you can use the extra time reading or practing spellings etc. I do this sometimes whilst putting my makeup on - result is I then get out of car looking more yummy mummy than scummy mummy

the answer to the cry 'But mum, we have to go back, I've forgotten my *.' is 'hard Cheese, my beloved, Mummy doesn't have time'

They learn fast if given the right spur!

Terry Wogan is better than the sound of fighting.

Giving your child a detailed explanation of how diabetes happenes is all well and good, but you lose all street cred if the kids then start to cover their ears and this is witnessed by a teaching collegue in another car ()

Spellings and times tables are practices in traffic jams.

'Car Picnics' are exciting for the children, save time, but are hell on the seat covers

hell, how I am not looking forward to DD going to school after reading all this!

I know nothing about getting ready by a set time but I do know about travelling...

Get them used to traveling from a young age... don't be afraid to travel long distances with babies etc... they get used to it..

Tips for car journeys.

Alway pack a bag full of nappies, wipes, clothes, food, drink, favourite toys, anything that you may need in the next 3 hours or so and anything else that you probably never need but makes you better packing...

Make sure you have loads of very annoying childrens sing along cds in the car.. and do not bother putting your music in, you will never get to hear it!

Make sure potty is accessible...

If possible, travel at normal bedtime, they sleep much easier (unless you are my DD who has suddendly stopped sleeping in the car - oh joy 3 whole hours or happy if you know it, and kum by ah....