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Original poster

Tips for calm and organised mornings

12 replies

Jessie1988 · 18/06/2025 09:06

Our mornings before school are really chaotic, I’m always stressed and arrive at school just on time, I’d like to be early, be calm and ready for the day, not just me but also for our little girl so it’s not a case of rushing her around and hurrying her up. Can anyone help me with any tips to ensure smooth mornings? I get her uniform out ready the night before, her school bag is packed. Anything else I can do to help and to help me? I feel like a rubbish mum today as I’m constantly chasing her up and I think some of it is my fault and I could get more organised?

OP posts:
redskydelight · 18/06/2025 09:07

How old is she?

PurpleChrayn · 18/06/2025 09:14

Get up half an hour earlier.

Get a small white board or print out a morning schedule that DD can tick off when she has done each thing.

Breakfast cereal and bowls/spoons/cups on table the night before.

Yourethebeerthief · 18/06/2025 09:17

What’s the morning routine like now?

I lay out uniform the night before. When he wakes up he has breakfast straight away, usually porridge. Then we immediately brush teeth and get dressed. That’s all there is to do. He plays with his toys while I have a shower and get ready. I’m ready in 20 minutes at most.

What’s happening in your mornings that drags the time out? I’d look at the pressure points and simplify. For me getting him completely ready first is the key. Then he plays while I get ready so we can get straight out the door once I’m done.

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Gogobabyshark · 18/06/2025 09:32

When she wakes up get her dressed immediately and face washed. Then go straight down for breakfast. No playing or tv until after. After breakfast she must do teeth and hair before getting tv

Helpmeplease2025 · 18/06/2025 09:35

Get up and showered as soon as the alarm goes off. So you’re done when you wake DC. DC get dressed before going downstairs for breakfast. Extra set of toothbrushes in downstairs toilet so no one has to go back up to clean teeth after. Switching to cereal/toast/yogurt helped too after years of faffing around with eggs etc.

DelphiniumDoreen · 18/06/2025 09:57

Get up a bit earlier?

Set alarms. 30 minutes to eat breakfast…. Alarm goes off. 10 minutes to clean teeth, wash face and brush hair. Alarm goes off. 10 minutes to get dressed. Alarm goes off. 10 minutes to put on shoes and coat. Alarm goes off. Leave house.

endofthelinefinally · 18/06/2025 23:12

Everything for everyone organised the night before. No TV or screen time. Easy breakfast. List on back of the door as a reminder of everything needed. Get up half an hour earlier than DC and get showered and dressed before they get up.

lingmerth · 18/06/2025 23:36

I take my grand daughter to school several days a week. She loves to play with me. So we have a timer on for 5 minutes play, then teeth brushed, 5 minutes play then she gets dressed, 5 minutes play then hair brushed etc etc. it works really well as she doesn’t feel short changed as she gets to play and likes the routine. Once shoes are on it’s time for school. We always leave at a certain time to ensure we’re nice and early and not rushing.

Whatwouldnanado · 18/06/2025 23:53

Engage her in getting absolutely everything ready night before, don’t do it for her. Make this a calm non negotiable routine. So socks ready in shoes, pile of clothes with clean knickers on top. School bag, coat etc by the door packed with letters, money etc and ready soon as she’s done her reading book or whatever. Clocks to ‘mum time’ ie five minutes fast. Toothpaste on the brush for morning after cleaning teeth at night ! No telly or toys, the job is getting ready to have a great day.

Yourethebeerthief · 19/06/2025 01:00

Whatwouldnanado · 18/06/2025 23:53

Engage her in getting absolutely everything ready night before, don’t do it for her. Make this a calm non negotiable routine. So socks ready in shoes, pile of clothes with clean knickers on top. School bag, coat etc by the door packed with letters, money etc and ready soon as she’s done her reading book or whatever. Clocks to ‘mum time’ ie five minutes fast. Toothpaste on the brush for morning after cleaning teeth at night ! No telly or toys, the job is getting ready to have a great day.

Toothpaste on the brush? How does that save time? Surely it’s just a dried crust by the morning 😕

sciaticafanatica · 19/06/2025 16:59

If you are just on time and rushing then you need to get up earlier

GameOfJones · 19/06/2025 17:35

I think the main things that help us are that we are up by 7am as we have to leave the house by 8.30am.

DDs must be dressed and teeth brushed before we go downstairs.

Breakfast first once downstairs. When that's all done DDs are basically ready as they are fed, teeth brushed and dressed.

They can then have TV time and I go and get myself ready.

The bags with water bottles are packed the night before. If having packed lunch that's made the night before and is in the fridge so just needs putting in school bags.

Alarm goes off at 8.20 so ten minutes before we actually have to leave and that's the signal for shoes and coats on. Even with applying suncream etc at the moment we're normally out of the house by 8.25 or just after.

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