Stress-free school mornings, are they possible?

[roisin]

We just don't seem to be getting into the swing of things this term, and every morning involves a lot of screaming and shouting (and that's just me!) The boys (5 and 7) just can't seem to understand that if they spend 30 minutes faffing about instead of getting dressed, then life gets very fraught, and then (like today) there is no time for such fun as going into the garden to find some snails for the day's school science experiment

We have tried pasta, stickers, bribes, rewards, threats ... nothing seems to be working. Btw they are not allowed to come downstairs until they are dressed, and they don't watch any TV before school.

Someone must have an effective tip? Please!

today is Saturday, right?

Yes, it is Saturday, but dss have swimming lessons at 8.30 on Saturdays, so we actually have to get up and moving even earlier than school days

Roisin - have only read your original message - You have tried PASTA?!? - please explain ...

Roisin, I haven't read all the other replies so forgive me if this has been suggested. What about an egg timer for each stage of the morning?

Tessiebear - pasta jars are a reward-based system, to take over when sticker charts lose their power; Soupdragon first told me about them on mumsnet. There are many threads on here explaining how they work, one is here

HTH

Ah! this is all so familiar! for her first year of school, i got dd dressed not because she couldn't do it herself but because I thought it would take her so long we'd all have to get up earlier. 2nd year of school, I thought I'm going to have to let her grow up & get dressed herself...and guess what it takes her so long we all have to get up earlier! The first morning of term, she was dressed & downstairs before I'd got down to get the kettle on, and I thought: fantastic!! Unfortunately by Day 2 the novelty had gone, and now I've made lunches, washed up, and breakfast has gone cold by the time she saunters downstairs. it's getting later each day now, and we're only into what, Week 3?! If she carries on like this I might as well have a lie-in and cut out the other bits of the routine and go straight to the 5minute mad dash to get out of the door at 8.45!

I was just going to start a thread like this as I realise I don't breathe from 7am till 8.50 when they are all safely delivered at their various daycare things.
So, good to know I'm not alone. but those of you with meticulous planned mornings, there is very little leeway. Both of mine are very stroppy in the morning and when we are late it is normally because one of them has had a screaming tantrum lasting about 15 minutes (plus maternal recovery time.....) star charts, stickers etc a no-no ("I prefer being naughty").In our last house we lived next door to a woman who spent her time smoking and shouting and her children, well guess what, in the mornings, I've turned into her! So Roisin sorry no miracles, just sympathy.

Just wanted to post an update - things are a lot calmer now, and we sometimes even get through the morning and out of the door without anyone raising their voice

Thanks again for all your suggestions, they were really helpful, although partly I think it was just them needing time to get back into routine after the long summer break.

Oh the other thing which has helped (!) is not having a lie-in on a Sunday We have to get up for swimming lessons on Saturday, and we actually found having a different routine on Sundays was making matters worse. So now we get up, dressed, breakfasted on Sunday as usual, and then they get to chill out/play afterwards.