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Original poster

So stressed about morning routine and nursery, school drop offs and work commute. Any one else?

57 replies

Annebody · 31/01/2019 09:07

Does anyone else struggle with this?
I am finding it so stressful.
Work full time. Monday to Friday.
I wake up around 6am. Get myself ready and make lunches. I try to relax by watching a bit of TV or listening to some music.
Wake the dc at 7am. I can't wait them earlier as they need their sleep. Get them dressed. Feed one dc breakfast (he won't eat at breakfast club). Then out the door at 7.15. Drop them off at nursery 7.30 and school 7.45. Then I go to work.

My commute is not easy as it varies as I meet my clients so it's ranges from 15 mins to over an hour. Once I'm at work it is fine.

I find the whole time from waking the dc up to getting to work so stressful and my anxiety is so high. Have been doing this for nearly 3 years and it is not getting easier but I don't know what I can do about it!Sad

OP posts:
RiddleMeThis2018 · 31/01/2019 09:11

Mornings are stressful here too, I’m sorry it’s so tough. You say you don’t want to wake the children any earlier, but I’m in awe of your 15 minutes between waking and leaving, particularly with breakfast included! Can you get them up just 15 minutes earlier? Here, we are downstairs, dressed and eating, 20 minutes before we need to leave, and even that’s a bit short sometimes.

Seeline · 31/01/2019 09:12

You have 15 minutes to wake, dress, wash feed two children?!
Put them to bed earlier and get them up earlier if they need the sleep and give your self and extra 10 mins or so!
Do lunches the night before.

NerrSnerr · 31/01/2019 09:13

Are you a single parent? If not could your partner share the load? We try and have one parent do the nursery run and one doing the school run if possible.

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Thistles24 · 31/01/2019 09:41

Do as much as possible the night before- bags packed, lunches made and all clothes laid out, even underwear. And I’d try gradually putting them down earlier at night and waking them earlier in the morning, even 10 mins will make a huge difference.

Jackshouse · 31/01/2019 09:47

15 minutes is not enough time to get two kids up, feed and dressed and out the house.

Will the child who refuses breakfast at breakfast lunch take a packed breakfast?

Planet51 · 31/01/2019 09:53

Mine sleep in the clothes that they will wear the next day. My son decided to do this when he was 3 on his own accord, my next child picked it up - he is now 10 and still does it. I haven't fought it as it works for them.

It means that in the morning, they can wake up, rollout of bed, brush teeth and get in the car.

Sounds slovenly and I did start off thinking that I should discourage it but it works for them and reduces stress for all of us.

Eloisedublin123 · 31/01/2019 09:55

Planet that’s an ace idea

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 31/01/2019 10:01

When does your youngest go to school? It got much easier for us when we only had 1 place to get them rather than 2.

As they age it also gets easier as there is less parental involvement needed in dressing, teeth etc.

Finally, I agree that you need to allow more time in the mornings. Last February we were a bit worried about the snow so set our alarms for 10 mins earlier. The difference it made to our mornings was huge! 10 mins will have practically no impact on the amount of sleep they get but a huge impact on your organisation.

MrsRyanGosling15 · 31/01/2019 10:02

What age are the dc? I can't imagine it's much fun for them being woke up and then 15min later they are straight in a car. I doubt I could be up, teeth/hair done, dressed and fully woken up in that time.
Planet51 I don't really know what to say about that. Its a joke, right?

Original poster
Annebody · 31/01/2019 11:56

Dh does drop them off occasionally (a few times a month), but he has a 12 hour work day including commute so if he drops them off at 7.30 we won't see him until 7.30pm and then I'm stuck with the whole evening and bedtime routine.

I have to prepare ds1's packed lunch for school as he is very picky with his food and he literally won't eat it if it is not prepared on the day. He is the one who needs breakfast at home as he is so picky and I've tried so many different things over the years and this is the best option.

I don't think they could wear uniforms to bed, would be very crumpled. And they get dressed very quickly as I literally hand them their clothes or dress them.

And they do need their sleep!! I feel bad waking them as it is. I would feel terrible waking them earlier. On weekends they sleep to around 8.

This is the last year for nursery so that will help a bit as we can leave 15 mins later and it means I don't need to get us all out and back in the car when we do the nursery drop off.

OP posts:
MamaRaisingBoys · 31/01/2019 12:30

Is breakfast in the car a possibility? You may have tried that though

user1493413286 · 31/01/2019 12:36

I don’t understand how you do that in 15 minutes; do you prepare DC1s lunch box once he’s up in that 15 minutes too as otherwise how would he know if you prepare it the night before or not?
I’d wake your DC up a bit earlier; I appreciate they need their sleep but I’m not surprised you’re stressed trying to do all that in 15 minutes especially as it sounds like that is the stressful part for you.

Notmorewashing · 31/01/2019 12:44

@Planet51 query child abuse there

Chocolateheaven123 · 31/01/2019 12:46

Planet, that's grim. Surely the clothes are crumpled?? Even if not, at 3, you should have not encouraged that behaviour. Be a better parent and teach your children to get washed and dressed with fresh clothes. Jesus, how low have your standards become?

OP, I'd suggest getting lunches done the night before, putting all clothes out beforehand and waking kids up earlier.

clary · 31/01/2019 12:49

I too am amazed at the 15 min get up! Is that what's so stressful op? Agree, get them up just 10 mins earlier.

Sleeping in the clothes you will wear the next day is grim. What, pants and socks too? Clean ironed shirt? Yuk.

Grosserygangrule · 31/01/2019 12:50

Wake them up earlier, then it won't be such a rush.

Also wearing clothes to bed for next day is horrible, dress them in the morning and don't be so lazy

TulipsInbloom1 · 31/01/2019 12:51

Wake the dc at 6.30. Put them to bed 30 mins before. Cereal bars in the car.

Believeitornot · 31/01/2019 12:53

Lunches the night before
Your dh needs to do some of the drop offs. Yes you won’t see him every evening but you’re suffering. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Wake the dcs up earlier. They can go to bed early on the days your dh gets home later.

I didn’t always see the dcs if I was home late due to work and they’d gone to bed. It’s kind of how it goes with dcs and working with a commute.

Looneytune253 · 31/01/2019 12:53

Op does your picky child have any additional needs? If not I would just be telling him ‘tough’. If he’s hungry he’ll eat brekkie at school ditto for the Pre made lunch. It’s not the end of the world if they don’t eat. If they know there’s no other option most of the time they will do it. I also agree with the others that you do need to get them up earlier. I genuinely don’t know how you can do everything for 2 kids in 15 mins.

Nixen · 31/01/2019 12:54

I really hope the letting them sleep in the clothes thing is a joke, how lazy can you be?!

blackheartsgirl · 31/01/2019 12:54

Crikey im as laid back as they come but sleeping in the clothes you're going to wear the next day..erm nope.

Op im in the same boat but you really need to get your kids up a little earlier. I also have a breakfast refuser but my attitude is either eat something at home, take something with you or starve

Believeitornot · 31/01/2019 12:54

he is now 10 and still does it

So he’s approaching puberty, will be getting more smelly and sweaty and you’re encouraging him to effectively go to school in his night clothes.

Disgusting and what a terrible precedent to set for all of a five minute saving?!

Kirstiesmith1234 · 31/01/2019 12:56

Yep!! I agree. It's so stressful! I'm up at 6am, getting the baby ready, breakfast, packing bags for his day at nursery, dropping him off, working a full day, picking up, doing dinner, washing up, bathing the baby, tidying up and trying to put him to bed! ........ then DP gets in from work and makes more mess than the baby!!! 😂😂 so stressful!

cheminotte · 31/01/2019 12:58

I remember counting down the months until youngest DC started primary, it made such a difference only having one drop off and pick up.
Do you really need to get everyone out when you take youngest dc to nursery? Can’t they stay in the car for 5 mins.

Kittykatmacbill · 31/01/2019 13:09

Don’t sit around watching tv! Take the time after you have dropped kids of school having a good singalong in the car instead - personally I like offensive 90s rap, but other music genres are available.

Make lunchboxes the night before.

Give them more than 15 mins to get out of bed.

Don’t put them in there clothes the night before, that is really gross. Get clothes sorted and ready so you don’t need to find anything.