To ask how much time this morning routine should take?

[coffeeforone]

Working backwards:

I need to catch a train to work at 8.15
I can drop 1year old and 3year old at nursery from 8am (so need to be outside at 7.55 so I can drop them and catch my train)

We walk to nursery which takes 10-15 mins, so we need to leave home at 7.40am

To get us all out of the 7.40 I find I need to get us before 6am, I have no idea where the time goes between 6 and 7.40 but there is always a mad rush at 7.30 with coats, shoes, bags, keys etc.

I think 90 mins should be plenty of time so don't get why I feel so rushed! Anything I can do to make those last few mins easier?

Can you shower yourself and get your own bag etc ready the night before?

How much can you do the night before i.e. put bags coats keys etc in one place ready, semi prep breakfast?

My bag is always ready the night before and the clothes are out too. I need to shower in the morning, unfortunately that is something that I can't give up. I shower at 6 when I first get up, if awake, the baby is usually playing on the bathroom floor while I shower. 3 year old is still asleep until about 6.45am.

The breakfast is so easy too as they have brekkie when they get to nursery. They both have milk, and I just offer fruit, a cereal bar, a croissant. They don't often bother as they both eat the breakfast when they get to nursery. I don't have breakfast! I don't know where I'm going wrong!

How long do you take to get yourself ready after your shower?

Do you 100% sort yourself first and then sort the children or do you flit between them and you?

I guess it depends on what you do yourself to get ready, hair, make up etc. I’m a complete faffer and find the more time I have, the more time I waste.

Do you have the kids clothes and bags ready beforehand?

Do you 100% sort yourself first and then sort the children or do you flit between them and you?

I flit between them and me! If I was just getting myself ready without kids then I would be fully ready to leave within 15 mins of stepping out of the shower. But it take so much longer with the kids at my feet, even when I am not actually making progress getting them ready, just generally interacting and supervising while I get ready.

Try and get yourself sorted first then worry about them. If the 3 year olds still asleep that's a bonus.

You'll be amazed how much time you save not running from room to room between changing nappies and brushing your hair

What takes up your time? Do you look at the clock as you’re going?

It sounds like you need to get yourself totally ready. Then get them ready.

If they’re having milk don’t bother with anything else- it just wastes time and creates mess.

I get the kids’ clothes out on a Sunday and have them ready in five piles so there isn’t any hunting for clothes.

It sounds like all you have to do is dress yourself, and then dress the kids. No way should that take more than 30 minutes.

Hmm. I know you don’t want to give it up, but I think it is the shower then. Do you wash your hair too? If you don’t do breakfast then I don’t really understand what’s taking so long. It might be worth keeping a little log one morning, at twenty minute intervals - what do you expect to have achieved and what you actually do, and then see where you can be a bit quicker.

Whats the process of getting yourself ready? Does it involve blow drying your hair and spending time putting make up on?

Get your shower out of the way first, then sort the children when you are ready.

The only person i know who takes this long to get out of the house takes a LOT of time over her appearance - like a pre kids amount of time. Shes late every where but always has her hair and makeup done!

If I was just getting myself ready without kids then I would be fully ready to leave within 15 mins of stepping out of the shower.

But if you're up at 6 then you're out the shower by what, 6:10? And your 3yo is "still asleep until about 6.45am." So what are you doing till then that you're not ready?

Wow what on earth are you doing for an hour and 40 minutes if the kids eat at nursery? Make the packed lunches the night before and put in the fridge, make sure everything they need to go into nursery is in bags and ready in the hall before you go to bed. Shower the night before OP, have all the clothes laying out on the bathroom floor. At weekends encourage your 3 year old to dress themselves so eventually you won't have to deal with one of them :)

Get yourself up and dressed first - 5 minutes, get baby ready - 10 mins max, get 3 year old ready - 5 mins. Go. 20 minutes, no? I get me, my 3 year old, my 6 year old out of the house by 7.15 most mornings when my alarm goes off at 6.45 and admittedly I laze until 6.50. It's doable if you prepare the night before, you can do it!

(of course if you care about your appearance - which I apparently do not :p you'll need to add another 10-15 for makeup/hair but that's totally doable)

Sort absolutely everything you can the night before. Don’t waste lots of time in the shower, my DH does this in the morning and it drives me berserk. You’re in a rush so try to make the shower 10 mins tops. If all that is done I really can’t see why 90 minutes isn’t enough time.

Get into the shower 5 mins earlier and get yourself totally ready.
It will make a huge difference.

Serious question: were you always slow to get ready pre DC? Some people just take forever to get sorted . Others, like myself, are committed to our beds and could do what you describe in much less than half that time.

I’ve always been quick at getting tasks done. Not a particular boast. If you want to speed up you are going to have to make changes and push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Always get yourself ready first.

Our routine is also military precision with timings to catch the train. I always get up first at 6ish, that gives me enough time to get myself completely ready, wake up DD at 7 for some breakfast, then she gets dressed and we're out the door at 7:40, breakfast club 7:45 and my train is 7:57.

My dd is a bit older so I can give her a routine to follow and expect her to do so - she is really good.

Also pack all your bags the night before, then you don't have to worry about not having everything. We do this and then in the morning it's just teddies into her bag, IPad into mine and off we go.

Another thing that helps is that I insist that discussions about anything are held once we get out of the door, not while faffing about making us late still in the house! We always have a quality conversation in that 5 min walk to breakfast club.

I would get everything ready the night before. Including clothing, nappy etc for children.

6am alarm. 6-6.30am get yourself completely ready. Ignore children, let them play with toys etc or sleep.

6.30-6.45am - 1 year old get ready
6.45-7am. wake 3 year old, get ready

7-7.30 eat, shoes on and go

It seems loads of time though. You could wake later and still be ready as 7-7.40 is basically free

I don't work but dd goes to a CM. one morning a week so I get things done and she gets to play with her friends rather than shop etc

I'm awake 7. 30 but snoozing. Teen gets himself up and sorted. Leaves at 7.45 with dh
Dd comes in with me for 15 mins as the door always wakes her.
8.00 I get up and shower.
8.20 do dd breakfast.
Whislt she eats I get dressed and make beds.

1. 35 I'm near enough ready so get dd dressed, nappy and hair tied up

She plays for 10.min I make her lunch bag and put everything in car and wash up breakfast stuff.

1. 45 her hands face and teeth and my teeth.

9am leave get to CM at 9.10.. After she's done her sch run.

I hate dawdling in the morning. Alrho saying that today me and dd still in pjs as she's full of cold and cba to get sorted yet to collect some orders.

We have very similar timings, although oldest DD is nearly 5 so fairly self-sufficient in terms of getting herself ready.
I usually get myself completely sorted before kids are up, so I set an alarm for 6.15 so I'm showered before they wake up and can get ready in peace, is this an option?

My DF is one of those who takes ages. He likes a few coffees, news etc. It's just him. Now and he'll still get up 2 hrs before leaving
Myself DM and Dsis are bed hoggers as are the dcs.

DH gets up 20 min before leaving. Up. Shower teeth and leave.

Thanks for the replies. I think I need to try just getting myself completely ready - its a bit difficult as the 1 year old is after milk as soon as he gets up and usually wakes himself up having a poop (TMI) so there's an urgent nappy change too! This either delays my shower or i see to him as soon as i get out still wrapped in a towel! then I think I might as well dress him etc, I'm usually still in a towel when my 3 year old wakes up, wants to brush his teeth, toilet, and dressed (sometimes with outfit negotiations), milk, before I know it its 7.15 and I'm still just in towel!

Serious question: were you always slow to get ready pre DC?

No, honestly I was very quick! Alarm went off at 7.35, and I'd be showered (including hair wash), dressed and out the door by 8.02 for the same 8.15 train!

I still wash my hair every morning too and a 2 minute blast with hairdryer.

I put my makeup on on train (I know - sorry!) so that's not taking any time.