Any tips for how to get ready and out of the house in less than an hour?

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

I have DS (8) and DD who is 2.5 and a new baby. The baby's not a problem, I get her dressed v quickly, she doesn't puke, doesn't need changing. It's the other 2. I try and give them time 7 space to get dressed with what they want and in their own time. I try and be relaxed and start on time etc. But I always seem to run out of time (& patience!) towards the end. Any tips on how to get them to hurry up a bit? I don't like being late, whether it's for meeting up with a friend or a class etc. I've given up on making sandwiches, taking water with us, tidying up before we leave, to ensure it's not me that's the problem. We still run out of time.

Could you get the older two to choose their outfits the night before & leave them out?

Get a timer clock thingy (I think flylady does one) and remove privileges if they are not ready in x minutes (after some practice days). DD is maybe a bit young to completely dress herself - maybe DS would help her? Mind you, I am always late everywhere i go too....oh, and put all the clocks in your house forward about 7 minutes...

Put them to bed dressed in their clothes for the morning

That's something I haven't tried. I suppose the weather isn't going to change much from now on so I could do it. Down to the shoes to wear - not a problem with DS, he's got a choice of 1 (trainers) but with DD. IT's also they take forever between each item, they forget, wander off, have a fight, play with water, need to change, read a book, get hungry and so on.

Lol...i used to put my clocks forward about 10 minutes...i thought i was being strange!

hi cta my ds 5 can watch the t.v 1st thing if hes dressed and clean.then we always leave the house when pepper pig is finishing.

I meant I haven't tried getting them to choose outfits the night before, not putting them to bed dressed (I'm sure DH would think I've gone too Alfie Kohn on him if I did that.)

I have a timer, I could try the timer. I'll think of some kind of reward. DD has discovered being "number 1" but I don't know if DS will fall for that.

I think you're pushing it, aiming for less than an hour.

You should allow 1 hour-1hr 15 mins in the morning.

I've got it down to 45 minutes on schooldays , but onlt get 2 ready (dd stays with me while DH does the school run) , but when they aren't at school it can take up to 2 hours, and DS1 (8yo) is a bloomin nightmare- if i leave him clothes out there'll be some reason why he can't put them on (moon's in the wrong phase, there's a y in the month, whatever) He just knows he's a bit big to catch and dress forcibly
Lisa x

when me and Dh were both working and had to be out by 8.15 eerything was ready the night before, clothes, snacks, lunches and shoes.
DD is now at school so she dresses herself and isnt allowed to wtach tv till its done and breckie has been eaten.
With kids you have to set the night before, its the only way i ever get out of the house at a reasonable time
Good luck
lisa

Thank you for the replies. It's good to read, but slightly depressing, that about an hour is how long it takes others too. I thought I was being particularly inefficient but perhaps I was just unrealistic. The school run is easy as the school is just over the road so I can see DS coming out of the school gate and only cross over to get him across the road. Same in the mornings. It's weekends and the few after-school activities that wear me down so much.

We can do it in between 30 and 40 mins on my work days. That is just me by myself which is a bone of contention. Two boys aged 5 and 2.5

We get up at 8am in this house. I wash DS1 (7yrs) (who still wets the bed so needs a wash), and he gets his uniform one, while DS2 )nearly 4) gets himself dressed. While they're getting dressed I get their breakfast ready and warm up DS3 (4 1/2 months) milk. They sit and eat their breakfast while I give DS3 his milk and change/dress him. After he's fed I go and make DS1's packed lunch up and get myself dressed.

We don't need to leave the house until 8.50 (as we live next door to DS1's school), but are usually ready by about 8.40.

On a "good" morning I'll unload the dishwasher and put a load of washing on too.

you dd1 is the same age as mine. i still do everything for her in the morning. with the help of dd1 who catches her as she legs it butt naked from me in the morning.

i get clothes etc ready the night before.

at the weekends, well we generall dont have things planned.

i can get all three reaqdy and out the door in an hour if i push it, but generall allow myself 1.30mins-2hours to get out at the weekends.

ah re read the OP and see you have a baby

not surprised you can't get out

I have 3 boys - 6, nearly 5, 3

At 8am they are still in PJs - by 8.15/8.20 they are dressed, teeth brushed, coats adn shoes on and out the front door.

I just tell them if they aren't ready I'll go without them or they go in PJs. I do military style countdown 'Right, you've now got 5 minutes and I'M GOING!'

I can't believe that some people need 1 1/2-2hrs to get out the house in the mornings?!?!?!?!?. I think I'd go insane if it took that long tbh!

Agree QoQ!!

Mind you, dh does the lunchboxes while they are eating breakfast and I get ready. He leaves the house just before 8 and I do the 20 minute dressing, washing, brushing, coats on bit.

Clothes are laid out the night before.

AGree it has to be a military operation with specific non-moveable deadlines

I do the entire thing myself - as DH is still sleeping (as he does the night feed for DS3 so I let him have a little longer in the mornings - only fair really lol). Only thing I do the night before is get the clothes out ready.

Forgot in my "how I do it thing" - I also give their faces a wash and brush their hair just before leaving (or they look like it hasn't been done if I do it first )

oh and I usually find time to nip outside for my morning coffee and cigarette too.

QoQ, iot takes 1.30mins on school days

7am, all up

7-7.30 breakfast/cup of tea

7.30ish getting dressed, washed, me getting a shower, peter taking medication (this can take 30mins on its own)

8am, 3 girls to get hair brushed, plaited, put up in pony tails

8.15, gather bookbags up, check dd2 hasnt taken things out of bookbags, fill water boittles, grab fruit/snacks, put dd3 coat and shoes back on for the 3rd or 4th time, make sure dd2 has her shoes on the right feet,

8.30, out the door.

QoQ - how long did it take you to get so quick? I find it took me just as long with 1, 2 and now 3. So I suppose I am getting better but it's still frustrating it takes so long. They have no sense of urgency and we can waste a whole morning getting them out of the house to go to the park.

In the morning before school we take an hour (two adults and three children - 12, 10, 3 - at three different schools), when we get ready to go out at the weekends it takes 10-15 minutes for us all to go the loo, get our sweaters/coats and put our shoes on.

House is very tidy and organised so we can always find our stuff. Children make their own breakfast mostly.

We make it on time for the non-moveable deadlines, like hospital appointments, but i think it can involve some shouting