Kassidy and Kameron have this chart:
So when they wake up in the morning and when they get home after school, there is NO question about what needs to be done. No one is asking me, "What do I do now?" They refer to the chart and get moving.
I also bought this shelf at Target for $10.00:
Every night the kids pick out their clothes for the next day and put their shoes underneath. No lost shoes, no problem! Even Kennedy and Keeghan know now that when they wake up, they need to get their clothes off the bench and get dressed.I think that's another thing that's made mornings easier... last year Kennedy needed quite a bit of help getting ready and Keeghan needed TOTAL help getting dressed. They both now get completely dressed on their own with just a little prompting from me to keep moving. (They're easily distracted! LOL) Keeghan does have some trouble getting his shirt off sometimes, but that's easy. Then, I'm left to get me and Kellsey ready and we're DONE! It's really amazing! My babies are growing up, but that's not such a bad thing sometimes ;).
Here's to hopefully a year full of easy morning and bedtime routines!
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11 comments:
Last year about halfway through the year I had to write out a morning routine with times I expected it to be done by. I'm a little surprised you haven't done that. Anyways, it worked for a little while, but then we would forget. Sigh, I'm hoping we have better luck starting the year off like that though. However, the problem this year is everyone is out the door at a different time. So I'm going to have to play around with the schedule to make sure everyone gets out and to the bus stop on time. First year of buses. That's going to make things interesting. At least they should always actually be on time for school, but the question is will that be on the bus or will I have to drive them because they missed the bus?
Tips from having 5 school agers at once:
Library books: We have a "library book table" which is a small side table in the living room. It has an open shelf on the bottom. Library books go THERE, and they are read in the chair NEXT TO IT and they do NOT LEAVE THERE. EVER. Except to go back in the backpack for school. No more lost library books!
Shoes: Shoes come off the second the kid comes in the door and go ON THAT SHELF. We're in a northern state, so each kid had a cubby just like at school, so they had a place for hats gloves and winter gear as well. NOTHING went past the entry way that was for wearing outside. I was strict about it, because if it did wander into the rest of the house, the house swallowed it up.
Clothes for school: picked out the night before and set on a chair in their room. Nobody came out of their room until they were dressed. Somehow if they did, it took forever to get them BACK to their room and dressed!
For Angela, when she was younger I had a magnet picture list. Each magnet had a picture on it. As she completed the task she removed the magnet and dropped it in the attached basket so it was easy to see when she was done with her to-do list.
Love it, have copied it right down including "put homework IN YOUR BACKPACK" with capitals LOL. I can relate!
I would just like to say that around here we have had "Job/Jammies/Teeth" at night way before Jersey Shore had Gym/Tanning/Laundry LOL. ("Job" is using the bathroom...)
We are not back to school yet but I am already dreading the afternoon, I think that is when things fall apart for us. Mornings have been OK this past year, we even had a quick prayer before school which makes me feel better since the kids don't go to religious school anymore.
Good luck, seems like you are off to a great start!
You inspire me......I wonder if I can get this much order in my life!! My kids are not easily trainable!!
Sounds like you all are off to a good start. I love your Routine chart! Great idea! I'm dreading school to start in 3 weeks and for our craziness to begin! I will be working full time starting in Sept. and my boys will be coming home to do homework on their own. I think this is something I need to incorporate into our lives to help the afternoon go smoothly until I come home from work. Thanks for the great idea!
Do they get that dirty at school that they need a second shower :)
I love some of these back to school ideas & may use them if thats ok with u. Its just me and my 2 girls cause daddys always on the rd working.Im gonna have the whole day to myself and need to get organzied a lil but...
TY Renee...
What types of suppers do u find easy to fix for the kids during the school yr so u r not standin in the kitchen for hrs.
Hugs
So glad things are going smoothly. I pray that it goes smooth for us...my kids start on Tuesday (well except for Madison) and I have in-service/get my room ready every day the next 2 weeks. We lay out clothes the night before and that really helps and each child has a chart in their room with what they need to do each day. It is nice to have them all able to get themselves ready for the most part!
Awesome routine! You're so organized. :]
That is fantastic Renne and just think eventually Kellsey will be getting herself ready and then you can focus on getting yourself dressed. I think it's wonderful that you developed this routine, I know when I was Kassidy's age I loved having my morning routine down. It made me feel very grown up. Good luck keeping this going all year.
Lisa
Hi Renee! I haven't commented in awhile, but here's MY suggestion! ;D When I was a live-in nanny (for K & 1st grade thru 3rd & 4th grades), we had some awful scenes with getting out the door with backpacks, etc.! SO, I insisted that ALL materials for school were IN their BP the night before. This was after having to take things to the school when they forgot something. I also bought 2 round laundry baskets (sm. ones) and we put their clothing, etc in the baskets each night. The baskets were stackable during the day so as to not take up alot of space. It really worked out well and ended trips to the school...for ME! Hugs ~ Jo
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