Time saving tips for baby / preschool kids

[cazzzz]

Hi all
I have a 5 month old and 3 year old .... and surprise, surprise there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Please could you post me some of your tried and tested time saving tips.
Here are some of mine:

1. Don't use fiddly ice cubes for baby pureed food - use a yogurt pot for a whole single meal and freeze.
2. Don't do main course and pudding for babies - do the main course as lunch and the pudding as tea in appropriately sized portions.
3. Get separate clear washbags and lable them "hot" and "cold" etc. "Hot" contains sunhats, suncream your sunglasses, "cold" contains poncho, thick hats etc. Saves packing up the individual items each time.
4. Put your baby in babygro jersey material trousers and tops. They can then wear this for 24hrs and look "dressed" but also be comfortable to sleep in. Saves that morning "getting dressed" thing - the only time clothes are changed is after evening bath. Please, please add your time saving tips to this list! Many thanks Cazzzz

cazzzz- with the main meal and pudding thing- up to how old do you do this?

Umm I think I did it to about 6-8 months last time. I tend to mix baby rice into pureed fruit (puddings) so they give a bit of bulk and satifaction.

My dd has started to refuse to eat for me at 7 1/2 months- it's horrid. She eats for my mum just not for me. have tried all sorts with her ans just thought that maybe only offering her one course may sort the problem

cazzzzz - will watch this with interest! Am due in December and have a newly turned 3 year old monster) any time saving tips will be excellent

sorry I have none to add myself!

The way I keep my sanity with a 3 yaer old and an almost 2 year old is to have a morning routine. This way I get showered & dressed, all breakfasted, beds made and bedrooms tidy, them dressed, hair done, shoes on, and out the door to have dd1 to playschool for 9:15am. On good days I even manage to get washing in the machine before we go. I am now due for number 3 in April, which will increase the challenge, but we'll see how it goes.

Hello - more tips please, I know you're efficient mumsnetters really with lots of secret time saving tips up your sleeves.
Meanwhile I'll add some more of mine -

1. overfill sterilised bottles when you make them up. The you can feed baby some water before adding in the milk powder (have only just started doing this)... and you can use spare water to put in solid feeds.
2. Buy clothes for the children a year ahead in the sales. (Grandparents are especially good at this if given a list!) If you buy all clothes from the same range, every top will go with every bottom. Please add some of your tips too! Cazzzz

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Please please someone post morning routine as I am not managing one at all, dd 4 at school for 8.40 ds awake at 6.00, dh has to be out for 7.30 me bedraggled wreck.

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Cazzzz - when you use yoghurt pots for freezer what do you use as lids? Or don't I need to bother? I guess ice cube trays dont have lids?! How do you defrost them too?

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my time saving tip is not to spend any time at all thinking about the future. If i think for a moment at lunch 'i'll be preparing food 3 or more times a day for 17.5 years' i freeze to the spot.

the cook needs to accustom their partner to food appropriate for age of child. dh likes parsnip puree

How can you buy clothes a year ahead? My kids grow too slow or too fast (we have both extremes), I'd never get the season right.

What I do:

1. Make up lunch boxes the night before school, and put them onto the buggy/in the car.
2. Same goes for nappy bag for childminder, spare clothes, etc. Anything going out the door the next morning, really
3. When you get in, restock the spare nappies/snack supply/water/drinks on the buggy right away.
4. Breastfeed if at all possible, at least some of the time -- I am definitely not organised enough to do bottlefeeding!
5. Prepare the evening meal as early in the day as possible -- saves a lot of evening hassles.
6. The washing up can always wait.
7. Lay out clothes for the next day the night before.

secur, just reading yours makes me feel tired!!

I agree with Secur routine is good, this way babies and children know what is happening, baby more contented (meaning don't need as much attention, that sounds awful but I know what I mean!!!)) and older children know what is going on so don't play up as much.

But routines are time savers once they are established.

I can now have both children and myself up washed/showered fed pack lunch made for DD and out the door in an hour. (DD is 8 though, DS is 14weeks)