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Parenting

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Original poster

New baby when you have older ones at school = HELL

25 replies

emkana · 19/07/2006 22:20

I am SO glad that there's only two more mornings to go before the holidays start.
Mornings are AWFUL atm. Ds screams invariably as soon as I put him down, dd2 has some tantrum or other, and dd1 needs to get ready for school, and I tear my hair out.

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Original poster

emkana · 19/07/2006 22:47

Commiserations, anyone?

OP posts:

misdee · 19/07/2006 22:49

its gets easier. i used to wake dd3 up for a quick feed before the other got up. would get dd1+2 dressed and breakfast as soon as they got up, plonk them both in front of the Tv and dd3 back in her cot whilst i got showered and gave dd1 (6years old) instructions to knock at the shower room door if anyone needed me.

then al out the door for 8.30

MeAndMyBoy · 19/07/2006 22:50

I'll commiserate - I have this to come from November so can only guess at what I am letting myself in for. Guess everyone being hot and over tired isn't helping either.

Sending you commiserations

H x

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chipkid · 19/07/2006 22:51

I sympathise with you although only have 2 and dd (22months) is a breeze. ds 5 makes up for it and is a horror.
Feel that I am on the edge of fury with him the whole time-bloody exhausting anit it?!

JanH · 19/07/2006 22:53

Ohhh yes, emkana - I was quite lucky because DS1 was born on Jul 13th and by the time we got home post CS the girls had broken up, so I was spared the first few weeks of school mornings - but you're right, it is hell with a baby, esp when you're not the most organised person in the world (ie me )

Just think though, he's only just 4 weeks now - come September he'll be TEN WEEKS - much older and easier to live with

QueenEagle · 19/07/2006 22:54

emkana (did you decide on a namechange yet btw? ) yes it can be a bit frenetic in the first few weeks and months.

Can you enlist dd1 to help you in wactching ds? If not get her to entertain dd2 whilst ds sits in his car seat or bouncy chair in the bath/shower romm where you can talk to him and he can see you?

Commiserations from me on this one too, but it does get better, honest!

Twiglett · 19/07/2006 22:55

now em .. tell me you have a sling .. because if you don't you can have my old baby bjorn if you want !!

Original poster

emkana · 19/07/2006 22:59

Thanks twig, but yes I do have a sling!

OP posts:

mrsbang · 19/07/2006 23:48

Brings back memories.

DS3 was 3 weeks old when DS1 started reception class, I still couldn't drive post CS and then there was DS2, almost two....

I truly empathise.

psychomum5 · 19/07/2006 23:56

I know it isn't easy with school runs and a screaming newborn. I have done many of those....

One thing I found helpful was being ultra organised. Lunches are made the night before and put into fridge. Breakfast cereal and bowls are put on table night before, and clothes also laid out night before.(plus shoes and bags atc too)
I also set my alarm for about 1/2 hr before baby normally woke just so I could shower and dress in peace, and then would feed and sort baby before waking the other kiddies.

I don't know if this would help at all, as all familys work differently depending on dynamics and circumstances, but it worked here, and some of my friends also copy.

I now even have time to bath all my kiddies first thing too(mind, the youngest of mine is now 4!), which is wonderful for me as bathing always wakes mine up, making evening bathing hell for getting them to bed early!!!!

fennel · 20/07/2006 09:32

oh yes I remember those days. rushing to school with unbrushed child, grubby toddler, and baby still in last night's nappy (that would be the day the teacher asked to hold the baby and got soaked - but we were on time that day).

just don't read those threads on the importance of looking good at the school gate.....

poppiesinaline · 20/07/2006 10:08

Yes, I emphathise too. The amount of school runs done at high speed with a screaming baby And by the time you get back home and feed the baby - house is a tip from the breakfast stuff - you feel like you've done a days work already!

fennel · 20/07/2006 10:25

that's true, poppiesinaline. and then by the time you've had breakfast and cleared up a bit and fed the baby it's time to rush back to school again and you don't even feel you've done anything in between.

MissChief · 20/07/2006 10:27

truly hideous - poo-smeared cot anyone??! and all at 8.40 when we're already late to see ds1's teacher anyway!

neena28 · 20/07/2006 10:34

Am finding this really interesting.

My ds finished school last thursday for the holidays but I have found the last six months the hardest of all doing the school runs. When dd was first born I had about 2 weeks of taking ds to school before the broke up and we were never late and it was never a rush. BUT since she was about 6 months it has been awful. Especially since she stared moving about. It now takes twice as long as it ever did when all I had to do was stick her on the boob and pop her in a clean nappy and sleepsuit then out the door.
Isn't it funny, eveyone else on here seems to suggest it will get better when for me it is just getting worse!

poppiesinaline · 20/07/2006 10:47

It gets worse.... then gets better. DS2 is now 15 months and getting out in the morning for school is much easier - still return to chaos in the kitchen though.

SoupDragon · 20/07/2006 10:50

Military boot camp. It's the only way.

And anyone not dressed and ready for school by 8:20am doesn't get a chocolate coin/mini egg.

poppiesinaline · 20/07/2006 10:53

Excellent !

SoupDragon · 20/07/2006 10:54

We've not been late all year

SoupDragon · 20/07/2006 10:55

Although I have arrived with a tear streaked DS2 on a couple of occasions because I ate his chocolate when he wasn't ready because of mucking about.

cazboldy · 20/07/2006 12:12

yep. organisation is the way to go....I have a 9 year old at middle school, DD is in year 1 and DS2 is in reception and a 6 month old. Do as much as you can the night before. As long as baby is clean and fed, I dont mind taking him out in his jammies.

kittywits · 20/07/2006 14:00

You have to be very very organised.
You need to know where everything is that will leave the house the next morning.
I get dd3( 6 months) up at 6.20 a.m before the others so that I can feed her. I then give her toys to play with and start cooking breakfasts and doing packed lunches.
By 7. am all the other children have surfaced. We spend the next half our doing breakfasts. Between 7.30-8.00 getting washed and dressed. All book bags , shoes, kits etc have to be on/ ready to go by 8.15, that gives us a 15 min margin of error before we leave by 8.30 a.m.
I then take ds1(7) and ds2(6) to school ( with dd1(4), dd2(2), dd3 in tow ) and then drop off dd1 and dd2 to pre school.
The important thing is to get a rountine that you STICK by and also know what times you do what, like feeding, dressing, so that you know that you're on time. I have found the margine for error 15 mins invaluable, It stops the last 5 min screaming fits.

smarties · 20/07/2006 18:05

I totally relate to this thread my ds is 17 weeks old and I am so looking forward to the next 6 weeks. I have found the mornings so stressful especially with a newborn and not knowing if they are crying because they are hungry, walking to school with leaking boobs and forgetting almost everyday something for my dd- it does get better and the shool run is something which I look forward to as it is an opportunity to see people rather than 4 walls

psychomum5 · 20/07/2006 18:22

Mine haven't been late once either this year, and mine are at the moment spread between four schools!!!!!!

Like I said earlier.....most done night before (lunchboxes, breakfast laid out, clothes ect), then up at 6.45, shower/bath and teeth, and then they all get dressed.
Downstairs by 7.30, girls line up to have hair done while boys get the milks out and pour the apple juice and then all should be ready by 8am.
At the moment, DD1 is then picked up (altho when I am fully recovered then I will be back to doing her too!), and then everyone has 1/2hr to make sure that all bags/homework is actually ready, or they can play. Leave at 8.30, drop 2 at 8.45, one at 8.50 (luckily their schools are next to each other), and then in the car to drop youngest at nursery at 9.05am.

Mind....as of september youngest will be in reception so down to 3 schools!!!

Enid · 20/07/2006 18:25

it gets easier (dd3 now 12 weeks)

i have 6.5, 3.5 and babe

feed dd3 in bed before others get up and shower

thank god now dd3 is older she will lay happily on mat for half an hour during breakfast

girls get themselves dressed usually

dd3 always goes to sleep in car/pram on the way

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