Morning help.
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: Kindy and Beyond
Forum Description: So you've survived the sleepless nights and toddler tantrums, now the fun really begins! Talk to other parents of older children here!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31733
Printed Date: 27 November 2024 at 6:35am
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Topic: Morning help.
Posted By: Bizzy
Subject: Morning help.
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 12:33pm
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Mornings are absolute disasters in our house. i have never been early enough to walk to school this term at all and it is driving me nuts that it takes over an hour.
they know what needs to be done but it takes them forever... Can you share with me what you do in the mornings to help get the kids focused on what needs to be done without resorting to yelling! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 12:50pm
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No personal experience, but how about some sort of check list for the boys? You could write it up and have a picture for each one (like draw a picture of a toothbrush.... or you could take a pic of each boy doing each task, so a pic of him brushing his teeth). Then if you put a little tick box next to each task and laminate it, they can mark off each task with a whiteboard marker as they do it. Could be fun.
And then as a natural consequence of getting ready early (not a 'reward' but just, hey you got ready quickly so now you have extra time) they could have something they're allowed to do until you need to leave.... like play with toys or watch a tv programme or something. But ONLY after every thing on their list is completed and you've checked it. Might get a bit of natural competition going between the boys too, nothing wrong with that  ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Jay_R
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 1:25pm
*threadjack* Liz, that is a fantastic idea! I'm going to have to steal it 
And Deb - I feel your pain. Josh is a right dawdler in the mornings, and we usually end up having one or two 'time outs' before getting out the door! No advice to offer, just a big hug and reassurance you are not alone in this one
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Posted By: lemongirl
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 2:06pm
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Argh I know the feeling.
Yes we have a morning checklist. The other thing to do is to make sure that you have has much possible done the nightbefore. We make lunch and layout our clothes for the next day. Oh the other thing to try is using a timer... tell them right I'm setting the buzzer for breakfast when the buzzer goes you are finished eating. |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 2:18pm
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hhmm i like the timer idea... what do i do if they havent finished by the time it goes off though? ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 2:56pm
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Well personally I think that one trip to school/kindy in their jammies would ensure it wouldn't happen again.
What they have on when the timer goes off is what they wear to school. 
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Posted By: lemongirl
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 3:35pm
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Yup I'm with tishy, just set the timer and they wear whatever it is that they happen to have on.
BTW we use the microwave timer and for a pro-tip let the boy who wins set the timer next time. It's amazing what kids will fight over. |
Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 3:39pm
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Some good ideas. I know for a fact that my dd wouldn't be in the slightest bit phased by going to kindy in her pj's....little monkey!
We've had success with saying she can have TV once she has had breakfast and is dressed. Now she eats quickly and complies with dressing as she knows the faster it is done the more TV she will get before it is time to leave. At first it didn't seem to work but she has cottoned on now. I too get lunches, clothes etc set out the night before. I also make sure her breakfast portion size is quite small...she can always ask for more but seems to be put off if her bowl of cereal is too big. ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 4:56pm
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What is their routine during the week? Can you give us some ideas of how it's "supposed" to go?
I've never had problems.. so maybe between all of us we can brain storm a solution for you and the boys. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 5:34pm
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all they need to do is get up, have breakfast, brush teeth and wash hands and faces, get dressed, put lunch or fruit in bags and viola!
this week gabriel has started saying he is still hungry after breakfast and wanting a biscuit - which i will not give him. this is how this morning went: he went into the lounge while i was in the shower and so i turned the tv off at 7.30 and he threw something at me and tried to give me a karate hit! then theres the dirty looks and scowls that go with them. then he was playing with an acorn and got upset when i took it off him cause he wouldnt get dressed.. we have to pick up the cat a couple of times...play in the bathroom and not wash our faces at all! i hate mornings!  ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 5:41pm
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Just a thought, we had some issues when TV went on before things were done. She would resent having to stop watching in order to eat / dress etc. Have you tried no TV until everything else is done? ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 6:08pm
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fiona they arent supposed to have the tv on. My husband turns it on for eden if she gets up while i am in the shower or trying to get dressed but come 7.30 it is off.
maybe i just need to get them and me out of bed earlier! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 6:28pm
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we do two things - 1. get stuff ready the night before - clothes out and bags packed.
2. we do the checklist and try to "beat" the record for the previous day. i time how long it takes him to get dressed, have breakfast etc. 3. he serves himself breakfast and has to eat it ALL. it seems to work much better this year than last |
Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 6:29pm
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I take my hat off to you regardless...getting 3 kids ready and out the door in time for school sounds like hard work! I only have 2 and the earliest we need to be out is 8.25 on Sundays. 5 days of it would be hard work! ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
Posted By: LouD
Date Posted: 22 February 2010 at 9:31pm
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I know someone that uses their kitchen microwave as a timer for each task
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 22 February 2010 at 9:58pm
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i have had great success with the oven timer 2 mornings now... the boys love having something to beat. but the shortest time is 5 mins so i think i need to buy a little timer. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 22 February 2010 at 10:28pm
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You need to have the TV off. The first couple of weeks of school were great for us, on time & no arguements, some of last week & this morning the TV went on & out the window goes all brain cells.
I reminded her of the no tv before school today & will have to remind DH cause he's been watching the olympics. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 04 March 2010 at 10:56pm
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ugh mornings, this is what I do ,(obviously Im lucky enough to be able to )
I lie there pretending to be asleep and say "DH Im too tired/ sore/sick/crampy/dead to take C to school , can you get her ready and take her ? thanks hun " would your boys move faster if it was a race between them ? ------------- 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 05 March 2010 at 8:34am
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kelly thats funny... my husband is out the door before i get them ready for school. if i am lucky sometimes he feeds them first but only if they are out of bed early.
Except today...friday is the day he takes them to school and he always walks them. and i have convinced him to take eden too lately so i get an hours peace! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: kiwi2
Date Posted: 08 March 2010 at 5:36pm
| I did the chart thing with my 4 year old who is now 9years. We had it on the fridge and there was a pic for each task. 5 total from memory. We had a magnet that he moved down the list. I think it was breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed, pack bag and shoes on. I just used regular clip art pics from word for each. 5 years on and he still does it in order. The chart has long gone but the routine has stayed. Boys are so visual so it really worked for us. On mornings where he slept in we could get thru it in 15-20mins but most mornings it was about 35mins. I really recommend it as it worked so well for us. Good luck there is nothing like a house full of kids and the morning school rush to bring the mummyzilla out. |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 08 March 2010 at 9:03pm
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I manage to get up at 7.25 and still get out the door for 8.30 for work and pre school. Jake gets up at 7am and char not loing after, and I put the tele on for them, get them milk and slope back to the pit for 20 mins...
I have to admit, my morning relies heavily on tv and not at all on my hubby, its way easier if I do the whole shebang. This is what I do 7.25 - porridge in microwave and ricebubbles/fruit for small elf prepared while waiting for the porridge. ALso hunt out lunchboxes and get fruit in OR feed animals. When porridge ready, call kids to table and feed animals or fruit the lunchboxes - whatever I didn't do when prepping breakie. 7.40 hubby out of shower, me in. Not before giving Jake his clothes to put on when breakfast finished. 7.50 out of shower, then blow dry and straighten hair do makeup 8.05 dress Charlotte - she helps, and do her hair 8.10 eat my breakfast. Usually toast, I make sammies while toast is cooking and throw the rest of lunch in boxes. Mouthwash (I brush teeth in shower) 8.25 lock doors put animals out, get kids to shoe themselves and pack thier school bags 8.30 OFF! Sounds awfully hectic when I write it out, but honestly I find it easier to let them watch tele and get dressed while I faff around with hair etc for work. Char olny gets me to help with the harder things. They put their dishes on the bench and I rinse them out and unpack and repack DW when I get home at lunchtime. Thye have other jobs to do, but in the mornings its easier to do the minimum and do our jobs after school/work etc. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 11 March 2010 at 7:21pm
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I read somewhere (can't remember where!) that if you are dressed and ready before the kids are up you will have a greater success at getting the kids to do what they are told. Something to do with the way kids see you when you are dressed compared to when you are in your dressing gown, wish I can remember!
I find my day is always better if I get up before the kids and at least have a shower and put my makeup on. The day is even BETTER if I have managed to wash the breakfast dishes and put a load of washing on. If I start the day organised then it usually goes on like that. Janaya doesn't like being late for things so she is usually asking me every 10 mins whether I am going to make her late or not, lol. If she is late it means she has to get a late pass, which takes a while, and she hates that. |
Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 14 March 2010 at 10:50am
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ella gets up between 6 and 7 and will watch hi 5 while eating her breakfast in our room...then we shower, her first usually, then i dress her, do her hair and let her watch a dvd for ten minutes while i finish....we are out of the house by 7 45 most mornings....shoes are last thing to put on (in garage) and bag is usually by door from night before...if we leave later it is usually cause we all slept in...
must admit I dont eat usually but that is more that i dont like breakfast that early...i do get a coffee tho....DH and i take turns going downstairs to get that and her breakfast |