Ideas to get daughter off to school with ease?

Question

We are just starting Grade 1, my daughter has attended Preschool and Kindergarten and in the past it has been difficult to get her up and going in the morning. Eating breakfast isa slow process, full of me encouraging her to eat faster. Hair & teeth brushing has been slow, as we get stalling in the bathroom. Getting dressed isn't a problem - thankfully! By the time she is dressed with outer gear I am fed up, and glad to see her go on the bus.

What do other parents do to get their kids up and going with EASE in the morning for school. I want to start us off on the right foot this year, hoping that others will let me in on their secrets and ideas - that work!

Answer 1

If she's hard to wake in the morning, what I did with my daughter was while I was getting ready in the morning myself, I would wake her up halfway during my routine and say you have to start waking up soon.  I would let her lie, and when I was done, then I would go in again and get her up.  Kind of like a snooze button.  She always needed a little time to actually wake up fully.

Allow at least 20 minutes to eat breakfast.  Set a timer.  When the timer goes off, she has to put her plate away.  

Most important is to just allow some extra time in the morning.  I did, and it's a big help.  We don't rush and it's a stress-free morning.

Answer 2

Well you can slowly get her to bed earlier and get up earlier so her day is not rushed in the morning. I know it a pain to you to go thru this in the morning, but if you want her day to go smoothly she needs to not be rushed too much.

I suggest getting her dressed and brush her hair first.

Then do the food and then teeth brushing.

You could try a timer and once she gets her food taken away from her a few times in the morning for being late she will learn to eat just a little faster. She is old enough now to do this. Set the timer for each activity in the morning and be sure to allow enough time, but not too much.  

Answer 3

Maybe getting her up earlier??..i get my 9 year up @ 6:25, let her watch t.v for 15 minutes, then she has to get dressed, while she is doing that im getting her her breakfast. So she can eat till 7am, then it's hair & pack her bag & get shoes on...& out the door with he older brother & dad at 7:30!. I live in Texas, they start school at 7:50, & being on time to school isnt good enough for my kids, they have to be 1st there!!. I set my alarm for 6:15 & drag myself out at 6:20..... so all in all, i give myself about an hour, to get her all ready for school, from start to out the door!.

Answer 4

The key for me was to gauge how long my daughter needs in the morning.. including extra time for play or reading.  My oldest likes to read while she eats breakfast but that slows her down.  I started waking her 15 minutes earlier so she could do that and start her day the way she wants.

some other ideas:

1.  Offer her some 'reward' for getting through all the morning activities... does she like to look at books or do some activity?  you could use that to motivate her to go faster:  if you finish getting ready, we'll have time to color... etc.

2.  Pack a breakfast for on the bus or at school (if it is allowed).  Dry cereal and a container of milk will get her through.  

3.  Put off the teeth brushing if something has to go.  She can work that into the routine once she masters all the things she has to do.

4.  Set a timer for each action.  Don't overwhelm her with hurry up, we have so much to do.  Wake her, set the timer and say, we have 15 minutes to eat, lets see if we can beat the clock.  

5.  I know you said dressing isn't a problem but I know of parents who let their kids sleep in their school clothes (if they are comfortable enough) so that is one less thing to do in the morning.  Kids don't really care if they are a bit wrinkly.

Hope that helps.

Answer 5

Some kids are just like that.  Get her up 15 minutes earlier.

Answer 6

My parents got me an alarm clock that sounded like a fire alarm lol that worked a treat

maybe change the routine round ie get dressed before breakfast it just would be more interesting for her so she would be more keen

Answer 7

I have a problem getting my daughter out too (she has ADD0.  I find that if I get her clothes out right when I wake her up, and have her put them on before she gets out of her room, that helps, at least she is dressed.  I try to have her breakfast ready too.  This way, I wake her up and say "here are your clothes, come on, your breakfast is ready).  I have the back pack waiting at the door with her coat.  I know that this is a lot of me doing everything, but getting her out the door is exhausting, and this makes it easier.  So, she comes down from her room dressed, and breakfast is waiting.  She eats slowly, then I just tell her go brush your teeth, I do her hair, and we are out the door. NO watching TV or anything unless she is totally ready to go. If you are having trouble getting her up, then put her to bed earlier.  Some kids need more sleep than others.  My son who is going into 1st goes to bed at 8.  He has to, or he is a horrible mess in the morning.  If he acts tired, he goes at 7:30.  My older one stays up until 9 (they take the same bus).  

Answer 8

you could brush her hair while she is eating breakfast