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

[Eva50]

A place for everything and everything in its place is my motto. If things are put away properly then they are easy to find when you are in a rush.

[MumboNumber5]

Routine, routine, routine. DC too young to tell the time, but know that teeth are done at the end of Ben and Holly and shoes are put on when Peppa finishes.

[angiehoggett]

prepare everything the night before and make sure you get your alarm times right 10 minutes can make all the difference!

[forkhandles4candles]

Others out night before and a very reliable alarm clock.

[Sammyislost]

You know there are certain things you need to do as the adult (prepare the lunch boxes or make breakfast) but those things the kids can do themselves, like find their shoes, put on their coats etc....make it a challenge!! "I bet you can't get both shoes on before I finish making this sandwich!" or "Do you think you could put your coat on faster than me?" Mine love it!

[rachaelsit]

Make sure you've washed your own hair and sorted your own clothes...maybe planned that weeks meals. Then just DO IT! Don't stress it won't be as bad as you anticipate!

[arat]

When you go out of the door for the school run, turn on selective hearing and turn off caring what anyone else thinks!

[TrollTheRespawnJeremy]

Stay in bed and get your partner to do it

[Cosmia]

For pre-readers, on top of labelling everything, tie or sew the same ribbon on all their big items so they know that their coat/rucksack etc are the ones with the red bow on.

[UpOnDown]

Definitely getting uniform/books/musical instruments ready the night before!

[Hotlingbling]

Get everything sorted out the night before. Then set your alarm off half an hour earlier for yourself so you can have a cup of tea before the kids wake up.

[OksanaFitzgerald]

Prepare the lunches and clothes the night before. And set the alarm 15 minutes earlier than you need to.

[strawberrisc]

Get the child/children to pack their bag the night before. Supervise primary age children but then pass the responsibility solely to secondary age children. As your child moves from primary to secondary they can get incredibly tired and can be really cranky in the morning. Don't rise to any arguments because this can ruin the day for both of you. Address any bad behaviour from the morning when they return from school instead of going out on an argument.

[KnottedAnchorChief]

The class teacher might send out a list of names and dates of when all the children are due to do their show and tell. My tip is keep the list! It's very handy when you realise later in the term that you can't remember any of the children's names in your dc's new class. Also super handy when arranging birthday party guest lists.

[MissMargie]

I've not heard of hacks meaning tips- I thought it was going to be about school morning disasters. Is it an Americanism?

[Moomoomango]

1. Wake up before the kids
   
2. Get an ikea tro fast and have a new drawer for each day of the week with pants, socks, shoes, t shirt and jumper!
   
3. Drink wine

[BoffinMum]

Homeschool

[Caillou]

Make sure everything is ready the night before,

Leave a post it note on the door if there are things you need to remember (pack lunch in the fridge)

And make sure you set up your alarm!!!

[mumsbe]

Set the alarm half an hour early, have all clothes ready and breakfast on the table for when the kids get up. Prep pack lunch the night before and make sure bags are packed and kits are laid out for the week. Set a reward for the first child ready and washed with their breakfast eaten. Our reward is normally choice of cartoons before school.

[riojaandcorrie]

Yes to all the above. I lay out the clothes for the next day when tucking them in. We do school dinners so no need for lunches. I go for a run with the dogs in the morning before they get up, so I leave bowls, cereal, spoons etc out for them and the older ones pour the younger ones cereal and milk, if they happen to get up before I get back (husband in bed, children not home alone). This way when I get back they are eating brekkie or I wake them on my way to the shower, and they help themselves.

Also once they start school they are old enough to get themselves a healthy snack for break time, so that is their responsibility. I leave yogurts on the bottom shelf of the fridge, a range of fruit in the fruit bowl, that sort of thing. If they forget, they go hungry, till lunch, this teaches them about taking responsibility for themselves.

[leanneth]

DS starts school in September. We have been to the school as much as possible recently- as well as the normal open days, we went to the school fair to try to familiarise him with the school layout.
Yes- already tried on uniform and done trial runs out in the car.

[stewaris]

Label everything, check their schoolbags every night, prepare packed lunches the night before as well as packing schoolbags, shoes, gym kit. Believe nothing they tell you unless you see it or have it confirmed by a teacher or another mum. My son told me nobody would speak to him or play with him and I went to the teacher to be told he was absolutely fine and integrating well. What an idiot I felt!

[Cocacolaandchocolate]

be ready the night before, and stay calm... No one moves quicker especially a child if being shouted at or grown up is getting flustered... ( learnt this one quickly)
Oh and loading the dishwasher etc... Can wait till you get home, better to be on time than late with a tidy kitchen