Every day, parents, carers, and grandparents face the school run and manage to survive, but whether you emerge a frazzled mess or unfazed depends on your preparation and tolerance.
Let’s go over a few strategies we’ve uncovered to get through the school run without so much as a bead of sweat trickling down that forehead of yours. Okay, maybe not, but there’s bound to be something you haven’t tried before. Read on, zen master!
The night before
There’s nothing quite like the peace and quiet you get once the kids have gone to bed. When things are a bit quieter and calmer, you can get ahead of preparing breakfast, lunches, backpacks, and clothes.
My mother used to have the dishes and cereal on the table the night before, ready for the morning, as well as the clothes at the foot of the bed and the bags by the door. A bit of a legend, even if she is my mum. And it worked!
Get those routines humming
I’m not sure how adults have begun to think the word ‘routine’ is spelt the same as ‘doom’, but regardless, children absolutely love their routines. It’s all about setting limits and letting the kiddos know the expectations are (of them).
Routine works best when it’s mixed with a dash of fun. Set up morning and night tasks, involve the kids in the process, and soon they’ll be telling you what the routine is, not the other way around.
If your children go to bed and wake up at consistent times, their bodies will become accustomed to those schedules, and they will be less fatigued and moody at the start and end of each day, making your life easier.
At risk of sounding like we think you should turn your home into an army barracks, don’t forget to set aside time for you and the kids to have a bit of fun in amongst it all! Great for everyone’s mental health.
Breathe, stay in the moment
It can be challenging to get anywhere when your child is throwing a tantrum, but stressing out won’t improve the problem.
It has been proven that those who practise patience and remain calm in a stressful situation minimise the tension of those around them.
However, the opposite is also true. If you’re racing around like a maniac, yelling and stressing out, anxiety levels in those around you will rise.
If you’re being challenged, be aware of your presence and take a moment to stop and breathe. It’s effective. Trust in what we’re saying here, zen master!
If you can’t connect with your breathing, try for a different kind of state change. Some kind of random action will help, even if it’s singing some ludicrous song at the top of your lungs for 30 seconds. That will quickly refocus your young audience’s attention!
Take a break from the school run if you can
You know, and we know it too: you really do deserve a break now and then!
It’s not easy getting the kids ready for school every day. If your parents tell you it was, they’re either delusional or drank too much the night before.
Give yourself a break and seek help when you need it. There will no doubt be other parents in your network that are feeling the same. You don’t have to have it all together all of the time; no one is flawless, and you aren’t supposed to be either.
Make an effort to make the school years less stressful and more pleasurable. They’ll be off on their own in no time, and the dreaded dash to beat the school bell will be a thing of the past.
In between taking the kids to school, remember that the car needs to be serviced and safety checks performed to ensure that the kids are safe.