Your help required - top tips on surviving the school run

[JustineMumsnet]

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

Misspinkcat - do you have DDs, by any chance? I have come to the conclusion that a key symptom of men not being able to multi-task is that small boys CANNOT watch TV and do anything else at the same time - DS's spoon stops half-way to his mouth and stays there until I nag - 1 nag per spoonful makes for stressed DS and stressed me by the time any meaningful amount of cereal has been eaten - so now I am with the no-TV advocates - not putting it on is a hell of a lot easier than turning it off after the inevitable screaming row!

You have a point, there! I've got 2 boys and cannot believe that anyone has tv on in the morning. (Actually, I secretly think that only common people do )

Buy them a Bus Pass & push them out the door

Here speaks a pacifist...

We have a 'combat readiness' rule in our house (dh's military past showing there). 15 mins before 'combat' I give a time warning. The dss have to be dressed, teeth brushed, face washed, shoes and coats on, camouflage on, bayonets sharpened etc by the time the signal for combat action is given. If they make it they get a sweety reward after supper.

Over time the rules have got more complicated e.g. if you sabotage your brother by hiding his toothbrush you automatically forfeit your own reward.

it works - man do those kids care about that little chocolate !

We had 'getting dressed races' when they were small... I was so rubbish they always beat me!

No TV at all ever in the mornings.
Get older ones to get breakfast for younger ones.
All bags/kit/musical instruments by front door.
Make it clear that you will NOT go back for ANYTHING they've forgotten.
If younger ones won't get dressed put in car in pyjamas and get dressed outside school after older ones dropped off.
Keep calm until they're all in the car.
Turn Classic FM on very loudly to drown them out/calm everyone down.

(no I can't walk them to school, it's a half hour drive on a good day)

If possible, get yourself washed & dressed before your children get up.

Powerful light bulbs & open curtains make it hard for children to get back to sleep.

Don't ever think 'Oh good, I've got lots of time, I'll just have a quick sit down/read a page of a book/chat to dp'. It will all go horribly wrong.

Become really competitive but be prepared to lose a lot - 'I bet I can do that quicker than you. Oh, I can't. Oh well, I bet I can do this quicker than you.' & so on.

Have short hair so running your fingers through it is almost as good as brushing it.

Have a spare top so if you get messy you can do a quick change & still look organsed.

As well as the kids' stuff, keep your bag and your keys on a hook near the front door.

GLASSOFWINE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

buy yourself a coffee machine with a timer (or beg everyone you know to get you one for next xmas/birthday!).
set timer for strong brew 10 minutes before you have to get everyone up. makes house smell lovely, gives you an incentive to get up and also gives you valuable caffeine power for army-style manouvres. routine to the point of militia is definitely the key. ABSOLUTELY agree with anchovy that having a lengthy poo is not to be encouraged when departure is imminent (the dcs that is, not you!) - in the evil household we actually have a designated poo toilet in the morning to prevent a static situation in the bathroom.
we then march double time to school, in height order, eyes facing the front at all times.

If you meet resistance from your youngish school age child, pick up handy magazine (anything from Grazia to The Economist will meet the purpose), feign absolute disinterest and say quietly "I really don't give a damn whether you put your shoes on/brush your hair/get in the car, I'll read this until you've finished it and if we're late, I'll explain why to Mrs [slightly fearsome Y1 teacher]."

This works perfectly but only if 1. you can get yourself to the mental place where you really don't give a damn and you will live out the threat and 2. your child doesn't reply 'I don't care either' in which case you're buggered. It's always worked with mine.

Has anyone read 'My life on a Plate' by India Someone-or-other? The 'heroine' was so disorganised that she used to throw on a coat and drive her kids to school still wearing her pyjamas!

Mine always breakfast then clean teeth still wearing p-j s. That way when they spray milk and toothpaste all over themselves I don't have to scrub it off their uniforms!

Our children are 9, 7, 4 and 10 months. We need to be out the door at 8:00 a so I get up at 6:30 to shower and have a cuppa before we waken the older three at 7:00. The baby is left to sleep until she wakens or 7:50.

1. They eat in their jammies so their clothes can't get dirty. Generally, we offer toast and cereal with juice and only if I am organised, a cooked breakfast or baked muffins. We all eat together. I load the dw while they get dressed, brush teeth, wash hands and faces.

1. Clothes are set out for all 4 the night before so that I don't face a 'laundry crisis' in the morning.

1. Our entry-way loks more like a school kiva with this set up from Ikea and the matching bench with shoe storage. The older three always know where to find their coats, shoes, book bags, PE kits etc etc because they are always in the same place.

4: I listen to DD1 read her book a second time whist doing her hair on the stairs at 7:45.

1. We don't own a TV or game console so there are no big distractions and less need of nagging or reminding. The routine varries little, if at all, so they all know what is expected of them.

1. At 7:55, DH declares that it is time to put on coats and shoes whilst I get DD2 ready for the road.

A sticker chart to get things like teeth breakfast shoes on etc done, with the reward when they return from school, so they are eager to leave home in the morning! That and a well practised routine.

Home eduacte and give all this nonsense a miss ?

Failing that an egg timer for each task that needs to be completed before the alarm goes, ie brush teeth before 2 mins then reset, 5 mins to get dressed etc.
Prior planning and preparation is very important.

If I'm organised I get the clothes out for the morning. Hair brushing can be a nightmare but DP likes to do this and I do the bunches and plaits etc. I have found that getting the hair accessories to match is difficult due to loosing them but if you loop them together when you find a pair it really helps!

I agree with no telly, but I like BBC 7 "Little Toe radio show" from 7am to 8am. Both children do concentrate on eating and it adds a certain calmness!

I do packed lunches in the kitchen whilst the others eat. DDs(2)really like "helping" us by pouring milk for themselves.

I am going to try the toothbrushes and flannel in the kitchen idea.

We do the journey on bikes so I look forward to that and am sooo glad that I don't drive them.

I read in one of those "How not to Be a good mother" books about a perfect looking mother who finally gave away her secret - put the children to bed in their school clothes and give them chocolate in the car for breakfast. Sounds good to me.

keep a hairbrush and bobbles/hairgrips in the car
I slao keep cagoules in the car for those days that start off fine and then rains as you get to school

having a scary head teacher is also great - we have to go to her office and sign a book if we are late as they lock the gates at 9 o clock. and the kids would be mortified if they had to do this so they do not dawdle in the am!

[clears throat nervously for first ever MN post....]
I lay out clothes & prepare school bags & any extra stuff the night before, wake first & consume caffeine then give a rousing first call to all 3 dc before my shower (may explain high turnover of immediate neighbours). 2 older dc (9 & 6yrs) have been drill trained to get themselves washed, dressed & coiffed whilst I assist 3rd ds (3yrs) then we all move in a breakfastly direction together. Teeth done at sink after breakfast then sweatshirts on. Spellings, x-tables, music practice etc whilst I assemble pack lunches and we move as a pack to shoes, coats, bags & out.

Smooth running is down to a sheet of paper at the front door - each day dc earn smiley faces for getting ready without moaning, helping siblings, doing things without reminders, not squabbling or anything I'm particularily trying to establish or stamp out. I mark up all smileys eant thru' morning whilst dc shoe up. The goal is simple. We've done lots of different things but current fave is a DVD night on Fridays. I make up 3 'jobs' eg.1 choose DVD, 2 choose snacks & 3 show everyone to & from seats with torch/work the lights. Winner can choose their role, then 2nd gets their choice & 3rd takes remaining job. Altho' they all love the whole thing & we always have a great night it still works as an incentive & they each earn lots of smileys.

Ummmm - bit of a limited subject (if I may be so bold). Imo would be more useful to have top tips for surviving the school gates!

Arrival of new puppy has caused chaos to school run. Have to get up 1/2 hour earlier to let her out and feed her then end up chasing her round living room as she runs off with items of kids clothing at critical moment. Kids think it is hilarious (secretly so do I but it is making us late!) Must remember to shut puppy in and not let kids let her out to join the fun

Puppy has done wonders for reputation at school gates though, have talked to loads of mums who I have never had the chance to talk to as they stop to pet puppy. Have been offered several children, (and one husband) as potential swaps for puppy - rufusing all offers so far