How to get the kids back to school in 8 steps -without losing time or your patience
It’s no secret the life of a parent is a busy one, populated with a long list of often thankless tasks.
Nothing encapsulates how hectic and messy parenthood can be more than the great school run -a complex job of getting everyone up, dressed, fed and out of the house on time.
Research from children’s hair-care brand Vosene Kids reveals working parents carry out an average of 23 different tasks on a typical school day -completing a staggering 10 jobs before even leaving the house in the morning. This requires strategising and a military-like precision. One false move, and the whole operation can fall to pieces.
So Vosene Kids have enlisted the help of expert parenting coach and mum Anita Cleare, who has put together a list of hacks which will save you time -and patience.
DON’T BATTLE THE MORNINGS
Battling in the morning is a lose lose situation. You’ll only get stressed and end up yelling.
When time is short you are much better using motivation ten minutes of play time if they are dressed on time, a trip to the park on the way back from school, or stars or stickers collected for good behaviour and rewarded with something nice.
Rewards don’t have to cost a lot -write them a `mummy cheque’ for an extra story that they can cash in at the weekend.
TEACH YOUR KIDS TO DO IT FOR THEMSELVES
Whether it’s making their beds, preparing lunch boxes or washing their own hair, if they are doing it for themselves that will be one less thing for you to do.
Invest some time during the back to school run-up in teaching kids to be independent.
Get little ones to practise putting on their uniform.
Use a marker pen to put a big red spot on the inside of pull-up trousers and skirts to help them learn front from back.
SKILLS SWAP
If it’s something the kids can’t do for themselves (or they are just too little), be creative. Who else in your network of friends and family can help in exchange for doing something else?
Could you swap a trip to the park with an extra child for help sewing name labels into school uniform from someone who actually likes sewing? If baking cupcakes is something you enjoy, that’s great currency to leverage some school pickups out of a non-baking parent!
DIRTY KIDS ARE HAPPY KIDS
Don’t stress childhood mess getting grubby in the playground is great for children’s development. If they are dirty, it’s because they have been interacting interestingly with their environment (i.e doing exactly what children should do). Leave them to it. Then dunk them in the bath at the end of the day.
DOUBLE UP FOR HALF THE EFFORT
If you are cooking or baking, make double quantities. Then put half in the fridge or freezer for another time. Even sandwiches for lunch boxes can be made in advance and frozen! Freeze mini boxes of fruit juice to double up as ice packs.
PRIORITISE FUN
In the frenetic rush, it’s easy to lose sight of what our children really need from us. Your children would probably prefer that you juggled fewer tasks and more bouncy balls. Be sure to slow down, have fun and laugh. A lot.
FILE EVERYTHING
Have one place where you put everything to do with school newsletters, contact numbers, random letters about next year’s school trip, telephone number for the school uniform supplier.
Knowing where you put it is the fastest way to find something when you are in a rush!
GET TECHNICAL
You don’t have to be at the school gate to link up with other parents. Make the most of social media to create member-only networking groups for sharing information, arranging play dates and locating lost jumpers.
Source – Ahmedabad Mirror – 5th September 2016
