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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

MNHQ

Your help required - top tips on surviving the school run

241 replies

JustineMumsnet · 05/01/2007 11:48

Hi there,
We've been asked to put together a list of tips on surviving the school run/surviving car travel with the children in general eg how can you save time in the morning, at breakfast, how do you get them to leave the house/ stopping squabbling in the car etc etc

All your wit and wisdom gratefully received plus all who post a tip on this thread will be entered into this week's competition to win a Nintendo Wii games console and game .

Many thanks,
MNHQ

OP posts:
fussymummy · 05/01/2007 14:26

I make sandwiches for lunch boxes once a week and put them in the freezer.

All lunchboxes are in the fridge the night before (taking what i need from the freezer).

Uniforms and pants, socks/tights are hung on bedroom door handles the night before.

All bags and shoes are by the back door.

Coats are on stool in kitchen.

Cereal, bowls and spoons are on dining table waiting for them.

NO TV!!!!!!

Enid · 05/01/2007 14:29

jesus

how did our lives come to this

fussymummy · 05/01/2007 14:42

Haven't got a clue!!!

Feel like i'm in the bloody army having to get everything ready.

Really does your head in!!!

Bagpuss30 · 05/01/2007 14:49

Get dh to do it all! . That way you can have a lie in.

TheArmadillo · 05/01/2007 14:50

get everything ready night before - including your bags/coat/shoes etc. And know where everything is including car keys (this is my biggest problem).

Have shoes/coat/keys/bags lined up by the door ready to jump into.

Get up and get showered/dressed/fed before getting kids up so you are ready.

Get breakfast ready night before if possible.

Only have one child and then you only have to get one ready

flutterbee · 05/01/2007 14:51

Hire a cleaner

Hire a maid

Hire a nanny

Hire a chauffer

Stay in bed till 10am

I think you will find you cope pretty well with the morning rush if you follow my simple steps

puddle · 05/01/2007 14:53

The last couple of minutes are always the make or break ones in our house when ds suddenly anounces 'I just need to get xxx' and heads off upstairs and then disappears for 10 minutes accompanied by the sound of frantic searching.

So I always remind him first thing to find anything he wants to take (tamagotchi is the thing atm) and put near the door.

pointydog · 05/01/2007 15:18

Work out how long it will take you all to get ready to leave the house. Then always get up fifteen minutes earlier.

That's it. It's a dream.

Bozza · 05/01/2007 15:20

Get a job that means you have to have the kids dressed before you leave the house at 7.20am looking reasonably presentable, then the days when you are doing the school run become a doddle. Especially if you leave the alarm set to the same time.... Sometimes on a Monday I can have cleaned the upstairs before doing the school run.

SherlockLGJ · 05/01/2007 15:27

Keep the vitamins in the car DS is the keeper of the vitamins. He can't wait to get to the car to get his jelly vitamins, so no dilly dallying at the last minute.

comebacksummer · 06/01/2007 08:09

Lay out your own clothes too- especially if you're at that horrible pregnancy stage where you can't quite fit the maternity stuff but look like some bloated chav with your belly hanging out in everything you own - if you've got nothing to wear buy some black pjs and a long coat

comebacksummer · 06/01/2007 08:11

oh yes, and having kids that naturally get up at the crack of dawn (6.30 is normal here, god help us) helps once you've got the run to do.. that said the postman still catches me in my pjs ha ha ha

comebacksummer · 06/01/2007 08:15

and another one.. build up your biceps so that you don't need to worry about putting shoes on your toddler- you can just grab them out of the car when you've blocked someone's drive and run holding them under one arm with your other one following breathlessly behind.. I really am hopeless at this, aren't I.. sigh

comebacksummer · 06/01/2007 08:16

your other CHILD following breathlessly behind, not arm, sorry.. didn't read back the way it was supposed to!!

tigermoth · 06/01/2007 08:30

Keep your children hungry and alert - don't let them eat their breakfast till they are dressed and ready. (Helps to have a tempting breakfast).

After breakfast, all they have to do is clean their teeth, put on their coats and walk out of the door.

MrsJohnCusack · 06/01/2007 08:45

who was it who once posted about putting the children to bed in their clothes to save time in the morning?

HEIFER · 06/01/2007 08:50

hell, how I am not looking forward to DD going to school after reading all this!

I know nothing about getting ready by a set time but I do know about travelling...

Get them used to traveling from a young age... don't be afraid to travel long distances with babies etc... they get used to it..

Tips for car journeys.

Alway pack a bag full of nappies, wipes, clothes, food, drink, favourite toys, anything that you may need in the next 3 hours or so and anything else that you probably never need but makes you better packing...

Make sure you have loads of very annoying childrens sing along cds in the car.. and do not bother putting your music in, you will never get to hear it!

Make sure potty is accessible...

If possible, travel at normal bedtime, they sleep much easier (unless you are my DD who has suddendly stopped sleeping in the car - oh joy 3 whole hours or happy if you know it, and kum by ah....

Blandmum · 06/01/2007 08:59

the answer to the cry 'But mum, we have to go back, I've forgotten my *.' is 'hard Cheese, my beloved, Mummy doesn't have time'

They learn fast if given the right spur!

Terry Wogan is better than the sound of fighting.

Giving your child a detailed explanation of how diabetes happenes is all well and good, but you lose all street cred if the kids then start to cover their ears and this is witnessed by a teaching collegue in another car ()

Spellings and times tables are practices in traffic jams.

'Car Picnics' are exciting for the children, save time, but are hell on the seat covers

littlemissbossy · 06/01/2007 09:13

Be organised. Get clothes, PE kits etc out the night before, clean shoes or whatever. No TV until breakfast is eaten, kids are dressed, teeth cleaner and they've checked they have everything they need for the day.

If you drive to school try and get there a little bit earlier, this saves on having to fight for a parking space and you can use the extra time reading or practing spellings etc. I do this sometimes whilst putting my makeup on - result is I then get out of car looking more yummy mummy than scummy mummy

bigwuss · 06/01/2007 09:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fennel · 06/01/2007 09:19

If they are reluctant or slow walkers try cycling or scooting instead. Faster and they enjoy it more.

Threaten to take away their favourite Christmas present if they refuse to get out of bed and get dressed on the first day of the Spring term. That's 100% succesful IME.

Twiglett · 06/01/2007 09:21

Move so you live 3 minutes walk away from school gates

foxinsocks · 06/01/2007 09:22

if you and the children have problems getting out of bed in the morning (ahem), make sure you have a critical time in your head. A critical time is the latest time you know the kids can get their uniforms on, shove some sort of food at them, you can pull some clothes on and run screaming out the house to school. It's not an ideal start to the day but if you have problem mornings, you need to know that point.

Also, invest in a good hat. It hides the obvious 'didn't have time to brush my hair' and 'didn't make it to the shower' evils.

Oh and if you have a dd, French plait her hair before bedtime so you don't have to do it in the morning. Or invest in those head scarves that hide bed hair very well.

iota · 06/01/2007 09:23

only have boys - saves on hair grooming time

flack · 06/01/2007 09:24

Top 4 Targets: Fed, dressed, shoes on, coat-gloves-etc. on, out door.
Optional items: teeth brushed, hair brushed.

Make a schedule for getting the top 4 done (e.g., must be finished eating by 8am, must have coat on by 8:15, etc.). And stick to it. Fit optional targets around Top 4 Targets.

Almost goes without saying must do everything else the night before!!

Do everything as soon as possible; it they will tumble out of PJs into school clothes before breakfast, then just do it. Don't even think twice.

No TV or anything video/screens/movie before school, totally agree with that one!

Try not to let them start any playing, drawing, either.

Shove them out in the garden to wait for others if they are ready early.