Getting my 3 kids out of the house by myself in the morning might kill me

[Anonymous]

I'm kind of joking, but not sure if I may have an actual nervous breakdown. My husband leaves the house before the kids wake up. He tries to be somewhat helpful with their backpacks by putting them in the car for us. But trying to motivate 3 kids under 8 to get dressed and get out of the house is almost impossible. Daily. For the next 14 years. Ideas? Any other people in this boat with great tips/suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I am a single Mom of 7.5 year old twin boys. Not easy. Only thing that works for me is to be like a general; keep the schedule! I wake them up, put their clothing out, tell them to get dressed. Ask them what they want for breakfast, and prepare that while they get dressed. While they are having their breakfast, I prepare their lunch boxes and maybe have a bite myself. I send them to brush their teeth, put their shoes on and while they are doing that, I get myself ready. I feel like I am herding sheep the entire time; but that's the only way we can get out on time. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

It's not the next 14 years. They will shift. They will go through a phase of liking waking up early before the world is awake. They will come up with their own tricks to make the morning smoother.

[Anonymous]

I do this every day (and bedtime, too!), as do many other parents. My three are 6 and under.

Some days are hell, most days are hectic and then once in a while things will go smoothly. Do your best to establish a routine, give positive reinforcement, and not stress too much. When everyone is screaming I try to remember they are screaming because they can’t handle it, and I am their rock. So screaming might make me feel better but will just make everything worse.

Kids do get more helpful and independent with age. It was sooo much better once the youngest was about 18 months, and I hear it will get much much better once the youngest is 4.

[Anonymous]

OP, what can you do the night before?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do this every day (and bedtime, too!), as do many other parents. My three are 6 and under.

Some days are hell, most days are hectic and then once in a while things will go smoothly. Do your best to establish a routine, give positive reinforcement, and not stress too much. When everyone is screaming I try to remember they are screaming because they can’t handle it, and I am their rock. So screaming might make me feel better but will just make everything worse.

Kids do get more helpful and independent with age. It was sooo much better once the youngest was about 18 months, and I hear it will get much much better once the youngest is 4.

All this.

I get 4 kids ready by myself every morning, age infant to 12 years old (DH has to be in too early). 3 different drop offs. The 12 year old gets himself ready, the 6 year old gets dressed himself but needs me to wake him up and brush his teeth, the 4 year old wants help with everything, and the baby goes with whatever I’m doing. It has gotten better as the kids got older and can do more themselves. All prep is done the night before. Most days it goes fine, some days less so. I give myself grace if we’re running late.

[Anonymous]

22:17 again - I forgot the suggestions:

- all lunch prep done the night before
- all clothes put out the night before
- keep quick breakfast foods easily accessible for the kids (for us, it’s usually bananas, cereal bars, yogurt sticks, yogurts, kefir pouches)
- have a routine: know which kid needs to be woken up first, circle back to the slow one to brush teeth/get dressed once you finish with the quicker one
- try to enjoy a little: we have fun chats in the car on the way to drop offs, each kid gets my focus for a few minutes
- feel like a super mom for the daily feat you accomplish

[Anonymous]

I let them watch TV once they’re all ready to go.

[Anonymous]

The big rule in our house is no breakfast until you’re fully dressed for school, right down to shoes. Concentrates the mind wonderfully.

[Anonymous]

I do this every day with 3 kids under 6. Routine. Boundaries. Lots of prep the night before. All lunches made,
clothes picked out, bags packed, shoes and coats laid out the night before. You must be dressed before you’re allowed downstairs. (That goes for mom too!) Breakfast is served at 8. You can arrive earlier or later but breakfast is still served at 8. No tv in the morning. I sit with them at the breakfast table and we connect before heading off in different directions for the day. I serve easy but nice breakfasts on real plates. It’s part of the calming, slow-down-and-connect experience. I don’t care about dishes. We put them in the sink and I do them later in the day.

[Anonymous]

Wake up earlier.... and kinda grow up too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The big rule in our house is no breakfast until you’re fully dressed for school, right down to shoes. Concentrates the mind wonderfully.

+1

[Anonymous]

I do this daily-- including down to the 3 under 8. The kids can watch TV until I say I'm almost ready. They make their own toast and grab a banana. Toast and banana aren't available until coats and shoes and backpacks are on. When I'm 7 minutes out of walking out the door, I say "toast and banana time".

There's definitely arguing about who got the less bruised banana, etc, but, they have way bigger arguments later in the day. Have I mentioned we do this all before 7:15am?

[Anonymous]

I do this as well. In some ways older kids are easier because in theory they CAN get themselves dressed and ready. The problem is that sometimes they won’t.
Things that I find helpful:

1). I get up early and get ready for the day before I wake kids up.
2). Everyone gets dressed in separate spaces even if they sleep in the same room. Until they are separated, no one is really getting dressed.
3). Allow kids an hour to get ready. When you are six, you need to spend some time jumping on your bed or looking at different faces you can make in the mirror. This can take 20-30 minutes.
4). I make hot breakfast every morning, but all kids get school lunch during the day.
5). Have a hair brushing/face washing station by the door. All kids need to pass through it in their way out.
6). Don’t forget about the ten minute time warp between the door exiting your home and the car. Once you have your third child, it appears like something out of a science fiction movie, making you leap ten minutes into the future every time you exit your home to go anywhere. I don’t know where it comes from or how to avoid it. All I can do is plan to walk out the door ten minutes earlier than I would need to if I was on my own.

[Anonymous]

Others have posted great tips. I would only add to keep it simple:
All I ask of them is three things: brush teeth, get dressed, and put on socks/shoes.

I cook breakfast sometimes, but I am okay with them eating granola bars or fruit, or even eating at the school cafeteria.

In the morning I bribe my kids with unlimited screen from the time they get ready until we have to leave the house.
(I know they will do anything for screen time.)

I do everything else the night before (baths/showers, backpacks, lunchboxes, etc)