Share your school morning hacks with Arla Big Milk – chance to win £300 voucher!NOW CLOSED

[RebeccaEMumsnet]

Whether you’re celebrating or commiserating, it will soon be time to go back to school. For some, it will be the first time their DCs put on their (slightly too large) school uniforms and head off into primary school. To make the new routine a little easier for first-time school mums, Arla wants to know what clever tricks and hacks you use to make everything run a little smoother during your own school week.

Here’s what Arla has to say: 'Being a parent is often unpredictable and getting your little one the nutrients they need isn’t always easy. That’s why Arla Big Milk has been developed to specifically meet the needs of growing children from ages one to five*, enriched with essential nutrients to help support children’s growth and development as part of their balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Arla Big Milk ‘helping your little ones become big ones’

If your DC is starting school this September, what do you plan to do to prepare them (and yourself!) for the change? Are you going to rehearse the school routine, or the school run? Do you have a plan to cope with your own emotions on their first day?

If you already been there and done it - once that scary first day was out of the way how did you keep the momentum going? Did you turn getting ready for school into a fun challenge, with strict time limits and music? Perhaps you’re a stickler for getting lunches, uniforms and bags prepared and set out the night before, ready for the day ahead? Do you end up resorting to good old bribery to get the kids out of the door on time?

Whatever your tip or hack is, Arla want to hear about it, so post a comment below. Everyone who posts will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will receive a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Insight T&Cs Apply

*The Department of Health recommends that children at the age of one move onto fresh whole cows’ milk and that their diets are supplemented with additional Vitamin, A, D and Iron

[samcornfield]

We have a several containers in the hallway, one for PE kit, one for swimming kit and one for hats/scaves etc. That way we always know where to find them when we are in a hurry.

[SuzCG]

Routine, routine, routine - it's the only thing that works for us!

Bed time at a set time - making sure that book bags are packed and ready before we go up the stairs. Follow the same pattern for getting ready every day. Mum to make sure she has read the newsletter for the week so I know exactly what is happening each day and who needs what.

A deep breath as I send them into school - and then home for a coffee!

[OfstedAintEverything]

Label absolutely everything!

Get bags and books and pe kit ready the night before.

For the littleys, a daily countdown just for the last week so they know it's coming, and can enjoy their first day being a "big boy/girl": make it something fun to celebrate as an achievement for them.

[RebeccaEMumsnet]

Thanks for all of your comments. The winner of the prize draw is strawberrisc

[sofieellis]

I think it depends a lot on the child. My eldest two were always running late, no matter how organised I tried to be. My youngest is great, sorts his own stuff, gets his own breakfast and sets off on time - I have no idea what I've done differently this time.

I think the most important thing is to prepare the kids as much as possible, so they know what to expect. If older kids have to walk themselves or catch the bus, do the route with them as many times as possible before they have to do it on their own. That way, they will at least be confident about how to get there and back.

[Bellroyd]

Prepare the evening before to make sure there is no mad rush in the mornings

[ftovey7]

Label everything and where possible make labels unique - especially if your child cannot read there name. e.g.: put an icon on the name tag.
For coats and jackets we get a little keyring and attach it to the zip - mine love this and can always pick out which is theres more easily.

[liane1987]

Choose outfits the night before, as well as meal prepping the lunches :-) simple but effective!

[ptak5566]

Prepare school lunches and uniforms the night before and then I get up half an hour before the kids to shower and dress so I am fully functioning!!!

[outgoing]

I see many parents at the school gate looking frazzled and flustered and I remember one time feeling like that myself.To avoid this I realised that what I was asking my child to do in the morning became confusing and overwhelming jumble of tasks for my child.I also realised that my child was only taking in a little amount of what I was telling them to do so we started giving my child a list of tasks to do so he can tick them off as he goes along.This has helped to create a more calmer atmosphere and my child has control and independence and makes him feel empowered.I find it's best not to nag my child or get into a huge state of anxiety and rushing around is not good for my child.The school moring starts the night before so I try to have everything ready and involve my child in making sure we get as much ready the night before as possible.Doing it this way makes my son feel in control and less flustered on the school morning.Keeping my child's environment as peaceful as possible in the morning helps him get ready for learning without feeling wound up when he gets to school.If you put yourself in your child's shoes for a moment and realise that if as parents we we're flustered and anxious before we even get to work we are going to work wound up because of rushing about and high anxiety levels,it's not going to help us have a productive day at work it's the same for your child.If you stop to think about it it's a huge stress for our children starting back at schoo lwith a new teacher,new term and new routine after 6 weeks of not having to get up early for school.All of this can be very stressful for a child starting school for the first time or returning to a new teacher and no term.Making the atmosphere as calm as possible ensures your child is off to school happy and as relaxed as possible.Whatever way you handle your morning routine is setting an example for your child if the parent is anxious and flustered there is a high chance your child will deal with the morning routine in the same way.If my child is feeling panic or flustered we do deep breathing exercises for a few minutes before leaving the house which also helps.

[maisiesnan]

Label everything, write everything you need on a calender that's visible at a glance ( not inside a cupboard),Be Prepared is your new motto.....get uniforms, shoes, book bags ,or kits etc all ready the night before, have school dinner menu so you know if you need to make a packed lunch the night before, have a pot of change handy for those mornings when you need the odd £1 or 50p for some collection or similar

[Lauzipop1]

Always try to prepare as much as you can the night before such as lunches, school bags, uniforms etc.

Make a competition as to who can get ready quickest (the youngest loves this).

We made the mistake the other night of thinking the school badge for eldest's blazer was iron on, I nearly cried when I was realized it had to be sewn on at 9pm the night before she started high school.

[ninamotylinski]

Get everthing ready the night before, down to laying out the breakfast things and then set your alarm ten mins ahead of when you think you should get up so you have time for a relaxed cup of tea!

[gamerwidow]

Get everything ready the night before and stick to a routine.Children like to know whats coming next and you'll get less arguments when they know what to expect.