NOW CLOSED: UK MNers with a child aged 5-15: take a short survey for Warburtons - & share your best morning tips/breakfast recipes - £300 of Love2Shop vouchers to be won

[AnnMumsnet]

We've been asked by Warburtons to find Mumsnetters to:

~ Complete their survey all about the morning breakfast routine in your house - this is open to all UK MNers with at least one child (of approx school age) aged 5-15 years - complete it and add your details at the end and you could win a £150 Love2Shop voucher - here's the link

and also for all parents (whatever age child you have) to please

~ Share your top tips for making mornings run smoothly, your top breakfast recipe tips or top advice on how to get your children eating breakfast - everyone who adds a tip etc will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win another £150 Love2Shop voucher.

This is all in advance of a new book which Warburtons are producing, so please note your anonymous tips/ advice may well appear in the book - as well as stats from the survey. The book will be distributed free of charge next year and there will be an opportunity to get a copy via MN.

Here's the survey link again (at the end you will be redirected to this thread so you can add a comment then)

thanks
MNHQ

[FrillyMilly]

On weekday mornings I am up before everyone else so have my breakfast first. The children have their breakfast at the childminders house so that's very easy for me. So my tip would be send your children to someone else in the morning.

[Wolfcub]

My top breakfast recipes would be american pancakes with crisp streaky bacon (cooked in the oven for reduced stress, extra crispiness and less stinky kitchen) and maple syrup or substitute the pancakes for brioche french toast

[BornToFolk]

My top tip would be to have only one child, it's really not that much faff to get him ready in the morning!

However, I do find that doing the same thing in the same order every day helps to keep things running smoothly as DS knows what to expect and I can keep track of time, i.e. dressed and downstairs by 7.30, breakfast done by 7.45 etc.

Oh and avoid potential flashpoints. DS likes to get dressed in my room and generally get underfoot while I'm trying to get ready. It drove me mad, I was constantly tripping over him, nagging him to hurry up etc etc so I've made a new rule that he's not allowed in until he's fully dressed. He takes longer than me so it gives me plenty of time to dress and do my make up in peace.

[TotallyEggFlipped]

The best way to get DD to eat a good breakfast is to sit down and eat with her. It doesn't have to be the same thing, but at least one other person needs to sit down and have breakfast. It's been great for me and DH too.

[Visadiva]

Get everything organised the night before. Clothes all out ready, for me and the children, including undies and socks.
Book bags ready, school letters signed, pe kit sorted etc. so it's grab and go!!
Chuck a banana in book bag for break incase children don't eat enough breakfast.

[upinthehills]

Not dressed for school = no breakfast

Means we can have pretty leisurely midweek breakfasts in our house as all that is needed after is teeth, shoes and coats.

As a result they are often 2 course affairs, cereal then quick french toast on the griddle or quick scrambled eggs - basically scrambled omelettes in a small frying pan made in a mn

[WhereAreMyShoes]

We have breakfast first thing, in pjs.
Normally porridge, occasionally toast.
Then once that's done then we can all get dressed.
Bowls go into water to be washed later, easier to get the cement porridge off.
That's it really, quite calm and relaxed.

[flamingtoaster]

Everything organized the night before - clothes, bags, anything extra that's needed (check their bags the night before for new notes with vital information!). Establish a routine and stick to it. Have a large clock in the kitchen and make sure everyone knows what they are expected to have done by what time (but ensure there's always some spare time to allow for unexpected delays).

[smokinaces]

My secret? Breakfast club. I just can't get my kids eating in the mornings. The school breakfast club is essential for me as a working parent, but also alleviates that one stress in the morning. Now ifonly they would get them dressed for me!!!!

[KentuckyFriedChildren]

we dont prepare the night before- aspergers ds will not allow it. we have a very strict routine running. get up, toilet, choose lunch items (ds has 5 small tupperware boxes which will each have 5 pieces of each food item he chooses one of which must be red :o), breakfast (nutella on toast-one slice + half a glass of milk, at this point i am preparing his lunch), do homework, brush teeth, wash face, get dressed (clothes must be picked from pile of identical school uniform by ds in order of how he puts it on- this is when i am changing dd2 and getting her cosy to go outside), shoes then hat/gloves then cardi then jacket, pick snack for break, look in the mirror then we can leave. Dd1 just goes along with this- she is in nursery and has lunch at home so she just has to get dressed etc. Dd2 is only a few weeks old so she is bundled in the sling and i feed her with one hand while i do breakfast. I get dressed as i get out of bed. All of the things that are listed above are done with a timer that ds sets and has to "beat" so i pretty much dont have to stress about getting out on time. He is vv organised for a 5 yr old :o

[SetPhasersTaeMalkie]

I get up at least half an hour before DS so that helps a lot. He has to be showered and dressed before he comes downstairs. We do eat breakfast together and there is absolutely no TV!
After that he goes upstairs to make his bed, clean teeth and I make our lunches.
Any letters/money/kit for school is already in the bag as it's been dealt with as soon as I come in from work the day before so we're good to go.
Takes one hour from beginning to end but we're both morning people.

[stephgr]

Their clothes are laid out the night before, schoolbags packed, lunchbox contents agreed and kept in the fridge overnight so they are ready to go, heating is set to come on 2 hours before they get up in winter so getting up isn't so bad, keep the bathroom free so they don't have to wait. It sounds o too rganised but for us it's the only way....

[Hopezibah]

It's great if the kids get involved with getting breakfast ready (but they are not always keen to help!).

I don't mind letting them have a choice if it helps them eat a good breakfast.

My own fave breakfast 'recipe' is using plain yoghurt with cereal. tastes good with cornflakes and also with musli and especially granola.

Hubby is most easily pleased with toast and jam for brekkie and another top tip is when he makes his toast I ask him to do a spare one and cut into pieces so each of the 3 kids can start to eat something (stops them getting so grumpy), whilst I get their breakfast ready (as they usually each chose something different it takes longer to prepare). That bit of toast really helps make a good start to the day.

[ClaraOswinOswald]

Be as organised as possible. All clothes and bags are ready the night before, as are packed lunches.

Give children set times to complete tasks, for example 2 minutes to make beds. The words "Go, go, go!" are a big part of our morning routine.

Praise the children and thank them for doing well on the good days, it helps if they understand the importance of being timely and know that their efforts are appreciated.

[Fillybuster]

I organise everything around midnight before I go to bed. It takes about 30 minutes to sort it all out, but its easy to do when the house is quiet and pays off in the mornings :) :)

DCs schoolbags all packed, checked and fully 'snacked'. Any additional items (special projects etc) checked and in place.

Hats, gloves, coats etc in 3 piles in hallway.

School uniforms all laid out in each room.

Load all ingredients into bread=maker and set the timer.

Breakfast bowls/plates/cutlery etc all out on table.

Breakfast is cereal (choice of about 6) followed by home-made bread/toast with a choice of cream cheese, butter, peanut butter or hoummous on top. No variation outside of those choices which keeps things simple. Water to drink for dcs, tea for adults.

Obviously there are days when timings can go a bit wrong - we're just finishing toilet training dc3 and that can cause a bit of a delay now and again - but on the whole, everyone knows exactly what they're supposed to be doing and the dcs all know that we are happy to drop them at school with no breakfast, in their pyjamas, if they don't get going quickly in the mornings.... :) :) :)

[JakeBullet]

Everything ready the previous evening.
Check school bag
School uniform ready
Homework done
Knowing what breakfast will be
No surprises in the morning when everyone is sleepy eyed.... All organised, arranged and sorted.
Get up before child, washed and dressed and ready for the day and then that way you can keep everyone on task.

[Doogle2]

Have a set routine so the children know what is expected. I try and vary what they have for breakfast so they look forward to it and don't see it as a chore.
I also vary how we get to school, walk, bike or scooter so it becomes a bit more fun.

[Rottenluck]

I have to get up and dressed before the children are up. It takes a least twice as long to do it when they are around.

[nextphase]

Well, we get 4 of us out of the house for 7.30, me with lunch, and 2 days a week, DS1 needs lunch.

Bags are packed the night before, and lunch boxes left out, but I don't make them the night before, as I hate old sandwiches.

Everyone down stairs in their PJ's (seems different to most above), so that if (when) a mess is made, it doesn't matter. If the kids sleep in, I get showered, and put underwear on, but then put PJ's on.

Everyone has breakfast. Toast. Can choose topping tho. While the kids finish their breakfast, I can make lunch and fill the dishwasher.

Then upstairs, kids covered in cream (which if I get dressed first, ends up all over my work trousers), and dressed. Everyone brushes teeth, and then kids downstairs and TV goes on, while I get ready (or finish getting ready) for work.

Kids get a second breakfast at nursery of cereal.

This seems very different to many, so I guess my tip would be, find what works for you, even if it is counter intuitive, or different to many. If it works for you, go for it.

[Elkieb]

We always get up 15 minutes earlier than we think we need, and eat a quick breakfast as we think it's important. Breakfast cereal for the toddler, toast for my husband and a cereal bar for me. Then we are ready for the day.

[notactuallyme]

No coming downstairs until dressed.
Bags and packed lunches the night before.
No TV in the morning on a school day ever.
Breakfast at the table - fun (ie chocolate sugary stuff) at the weekend, serious cereal (weetabix/ shreddies/ cheerios) in the week.

[Piggychunk]

Offer what they like for breakfast , who wants a battle of wills at 7.30 in the morning!

[Piggychunk]

disclaimer I mean within the breakast category not suggesting a mars bar and chips!