can someone sort me out with a morning routine please? I am new to this nursery malarky

[Fillyjonk]

and i am not good on routines

I need 2 kids aged 2 and 3 1/2 washed, dressed and breakfasted and out of the house
by 8.30 at latest

breakfast needs to be cooked (porridge).

I get up at around 6 with kids but am knackered because I go to bed way too late (mainly because its my only time to study). So priority #1 is coffee and coming to on MN for me.

So I have 2.5 hours, which should be enough really, but I am always rushing

you lot seem organised, suggestions please.

(you are going to say "put clothes out the night before" aren't you? oh dear)

FJ - the taking clothes off would drive me mad too. Do they watch TV? tell them it's no TV until they're dressed and keep their clothes on!

kitchen sink for teeth?

seems WRONG somehow...

they don't watch tv lmb

their choice not mine

Why can't you do dressing last? Or is that a daft question?

What's wrong with kitchen sink for teeth? It's a sink, there's water.

i know www

its a thing in my family, not to brush teeth in the kitchen

i can think of no rational reason behind it and it is a good idea

7.00 wake up, go downstairs and make porridge. kids play in rooms for 20 mins while you shower/ get dressed.
7.20 kids get dressed. clothes ready night before.
7.40 all go downstairs and eat fab porridge. chat etc
8.00 all upstairs and brush hair/teeth etc.
8.15 ready?

children who don't choose to watch TV??

yes good plan

am accepting that i will have to Do Stuff the night before

oh dear

god I don't have to chat to anyone in the morning, do i?

right will print plan and put it up in big print so i can see it w/o glasses

one thing i do do is NEVER shower etc in the am. do that night before. and hair goes own sweet way

I definatly wouldn't get them dressed until after the porridge.

I definatly could not MN before getting them to school, god they would never get there.

My routine is as follows ...

6:45 - I get up, wash face, brush teeth and do make-up.

7:00 - 7:20 - Get kids up and give them breakfast.

7:20 - 7:30 - Dd1 and Dd2 go upstairs to wash face, brush teeth and get dressed. I brush Ds's teeth downstairs and get him dressed.

7:30 - Do the girls hair & wash up breakfast stuff.

7:45 - I get dressed and do my hair

8:00 - Everyone is normally ready now, but we usually have someone hunting for their shoes or something.

8:20 - Leave for school.

I find if you go bacj upstairs that is the worst thing for disturbing the routine.......
kitchen sink it has to be...
we even have 2 lots of toothbrushes....

its partly my fault lmb, it needs a scart or SOMETHING to connect it to the aerial/video thingy and i am too embarassed to go into maplin and explain what i need. it is very old and am wondering if i need to take a picture of the socket to show them but i think that would be too odd.

oh but telly is upstairs

am not ruling it out

what is good in morning? what might 2 preschoolers like at that hour? do i need a special card or something to get cbeebies?

do you have a dvd player?
get something with short episodes on (pingu is good)

aha

we do have teletubbies but it is one long episode for about an hour

also it is v annoying

get a pingu dvd - 10 mins per episode - ideal for you to get dressed etc during!

yay

but am reading earlgray's thread and am concerned tv may not be good in am

might just open the door and let them rampage through garden instead.

oh technically they are not meant to watch tv in week (steiner school) but the school can always jsut bog off, if need be

No not garden!! They'll be soaked and muddy by the time its time to go.
bbbc2 usually have some childrens things on first thing. or the Hoobs are on 4.

oh dear

more complications

though ds is at steiner nursery and kid muddiness is sign of alpha mummy status

I don't understand why you are up so early.

Are your DCs up then? If so get them to just play in their rooms until at least 7.

You get up about 7.15.

Get yourself ready.

Prep breakfast etc. while DCs either in garden or playing somewhere (pref. asleep still)

Wash them wherever they happen to be.

DCs eat breakfast (approx 8.00) while you brush their hair.

Get them dressed (downstairs). Teeth (downstairs).

Leave house.

If you need packed lunches etc DH can do them by getting up 10 mins earlier.

I have DCs same age as yours:
6.50ish I get up cup of tea with DH.
7 DH leaves for work. I get washed (also no shower) and dressed. Eat pancakes for breakfast.
7.15 Get kids up (if not up already). Park in front of CBeebies with milk . I usually sit with them for cuddles and 2nd cuppa.
7.30 Get bags ready. Find coat, keys etc.
7.45 Dress both kids including shoes and coats.
8am Get in car. Eat museli bar in car.
No worries

fab idea to clean teeth downstairs. Never thought of that before (does seem odd though) but might work for me too! thanks for tip!

it is possible but you have to be scary organised bossy mummy

our routine is:
6.25 I get up, shower etc DH gets up and dresses, walks dog (he showers the night before after his run with dog ) he puts kettle on as he goes out and it is ready for me to make coffee as I get out of shower (please note this has taken a while to perfect!)
DTs (age 3) either wake up as they hear us moving round or are woken about 6.50, dressed (in clothes chosen the night before to save arguments) then quick breakfast with DH who is back from 'dogging' as my mother unfortunately put it once then teeth/faces and out 7.20 if we're lucky, 7.30 at the latest

I have to say the DTs are quite good at it now and can more or less dress themselves, depending on their mood...Any variation from the above sadly results in compl]ete chaos and lots of shouting from me [blush

mama2kids when do your kids have breakfast? genuine question.

7.00 me up, shower, dress.
7.15.make packed lunches
7.30 wake children, they get dressed
7.45 dd does clarinet practice, ds does reading
8.00 breakfast
8.15 teeth, make beds.
8.30 out the door.

This is my fantasy life, and it happens 2 days out of 5. The other 3 I am screaming like a fishwife by 8.10.

The really crucial thing for me is me getting up and dressed BEFORE anything else. Otherwise everything goes completely pete tong.