Getting everyone out the door, on time, with everything they need in the
morning is an act of divine intervention. The key to calming the morning chaos
is planning and routine. Make the morning routine an extension of the before
bed routine. Everyone should plan what they are going to wear in the morning
and actually lay it out the night before. This includes accessories like belts,
vests, hats, socks, etc. so there is no last minute panic looking for the
missing article. Have everyone locate their shoes and put them either near the
front door, or near the door of their bedroom. If anyone needs clothes or gear
for P.E. or after school activities, get it all loaded and placed in the
landing zone too. Organize the meals the night before.
If your family is a cereal-eating crowd, you can set out bowls and cereal
boxes for easy self-service in the morning. If you cook breakfast, do as much
prep work the night before as you can, maybe while you’re cooking dinner. Do
the same with lunches. If the kids take their lunch, assemble as much as
possible the night before, like pre-packing non-perishables. Depending on the
ages of your children, decide what aspect of these meals they can be
responsible for preparing, so you don’t have to do all the work.
If bathroom overcrowding is an issue in your house, devise a schedule so
that each week someone new gets the bathroom first. Set strict limits on how
much time everyone gets to have the bathroom privately. Try having some people
bathe at night and some in the morning.
If your family has trouble getting out the door on time, try
setting all the clocks ten minutes early. It may be a psychological trick, but
it seems to help create a buffer for running late. Some families have
instituted time monitors, where each week someone new is in charge of watching
the time and announcing how much time is left until departure in five or ten
minute intervals.