It is a battle we all face: getting our kids to school on time. But there are some hacks and tricks you can use to get your children up and out of the house in time for school.
Here are some simple tips that will help ensure that you both arrive at the bus stop or carpool line, or whatever transportation method works for your family, on time for school.
Get up at the same time as your child.
This may seem simple, but it is amazingly effective. If you have a hard time convincing yourself to get out of bed, this will certainly get your kids moving.
Don’t let them bully you into staying in bed too long.
You may think that you’ll feel more rested if you sleep in, but getting your kids out of the door on time is the most important task at hand. If they are awake and ready to go they will wait for you, but don’t worry, I promise it won’t be long before they are begging you to let them get up when they do.
Make the morning routine fun
Routines are important for kids, but if it’s a chore or something your child dreads they will always try to find a way out of doing it. One thing you can do is make their morning routine interactive and engaging so that they look forward to doing these things instead of running from them.
Swap out a morning show for a book
Instead of plopping your kids in front of the TV, try reading a story together instead. Not only is it more educational, but it will also get you both up and moving around as well! Swapping out traditional screen time for reading has been proven to be beneficial for both your physical fitness and your mental sharpness so it’s a win, win.
A little movement can go a long way
Instead of letting them veg in front of the TV or their tablet have them do a few jumping jacks before getting dressed, brush their teeth, eat breakfast etc. It will get the blood flowing and make them feel like they actually accomplished something before the day even starts.
Make a reward chart
Reward charts are great for all ages, but especially little ones who may not understand what it takes to get to school on time. You can fill in the boxes as you accomplish tasks like wake up on time, eat breakfast/ pack lunches etc. and stop to read a story or do jumping jacks, then reward them with something small like an extra 10 minutes of TV time before their favorite show starts or letting them choose what they want for dinner. You can also use bigger rewards instead of just things like TV time.
Take your kids to school
Another great way to get your kids up and moving is to take them on a walk to school. If you have a child who walks or bikes there, going with them will give you some quality time together before they head off for the day and hopefully pave the way to a great start of the year at their new school.
Make sure school starts on time
This is probably the most important thing, if your school starts late it may be better to just stay home with your kids. If you have a child who is not on par with their peers when it comes to punctuality they may get frustrated and stressed out which can lead to lower grades or even social issues.
A new school year brings a whole bunch of new challenges for kids and parents alike, but if you can make an effort to start earlier or try out some of the tips listed above there is no reason why you should not be able to get your children out of the door on time.