The Night Before School: To Do List
Note: I may earn money or products from the companies, products, or links mentioned in this post.
One of the biggest challenges that parents face on a weekday is getting the kids to school. Whether you must drop more than one kid off, have to go to work right after you drop them at school, or just struggle with getting everyone ready in the morning, school mornings can be hectic. Fortunately, there are a few things that you and your kids can do the night before school, to prevent the crazy bustle in the morning.
How to Conquer the Night Before School:
1. Take a Shower/Bath
Everyone needs to use the restroom and get ready for school or work in the morning, which can make getting in the bathroom impossible. To avoid some of the craziness, have your kids shower the night before school. This ensures they are clean while also making sure that everyone will have time to get ready in the morning.
If it is not possible to give everyone a shower or bath at night, plan for just one or two in the morning. If one of your kidâs sweats at night or is likely to pee the bed, planning for a morning shower may just be best to prevent emergencies.
2. Have Homework Done
Before your kids go to bed each night, make sure that homework and studying are done. If you want to stay on schedule, there is not time for them to be rushing to finish it as everyone is on their way out the door.
3. Have Your Backpack Ready
Once homework is done for the evening, you should have your children prepare their backpacks. Homework can sometimes be a cluttered mess and the last thing you need is for your kids to be searching for a textbook or an assignment page before you head out the door. Preparing their backpack can also help ensure that they do not leave anything important at home.
4. Choose an Outfit
Whether you have a younger child that you will need to dress or an older teenager who just cannot make up their mind, picking out clothes the night before school just takes away from one more thing that kids need to do before school. This saves a huge chunk of time that can be spent preparing for the day, or even sleeping a little bit longer. For the lucky kids who’s parents have purchased any of lil threadz super-soft shirts that’s an easy pick. Your child will always want to wear his custom birthday shirt, again and again.
5. Plan for Breakfast
Your family does not need a gourmet breakfast every morning. However, you should be prepared with a granola bar, fruit, cereal, or whatever your kids typically eat in the morning before school. You should also keep quick breakfasts on hand that can be eaten on the go. Eating breakfast is essential for success, so even running late is not a good reason to skip it.
6. Preparing Lunch
If your kids eat lunch at school, consider having a designated location for lunch money. Place money there for each kid to grab in the morning on their way out to school. If they pack lunch, try doing what you can the night before. While you may not want to make sandwiches the night before (so they donât become soggy), you can still add the drinks, fruits, and side dishes. You should also make sure that ice packs are frozen if they are a necessary part of your childâs lunch.
7. Get a Good Nightâs Rest
The final thing that should be done the night before school is getting enough rest. Have your children lay down 8 ½ hours before they have to be at school. Not only will this help them focus better at school the next day, it will lessen the likelihood of running late because they have trouble waking up in the morning.
About the author:
Lautaro Martinez, a family man and freelance writer shares his dos and donâts to raising kids. If you would like to learn more about Lautaro, you can check out his google+ profile.
