Warburtons have recently found that mums are doing the school run in their pyjamas and make-up free to take the stress out of the school run.
Parenting on Female First
Despite the biggest reason being to reduce stress, mums also mentioned that it saved time, making it easier to focus on the kids.
Now, we’ve been given some top tips to take the stress out of the morning school run without having to go to extreme measures.
Tips for a Stress Free Morning School Run
1. Start the Night Before
Spend time the night before packing school bags, sorting PE kits, prepping lunchboxes, laying the breakfast table and setting out clothes - this way you go to sleep knowing you have already started your morning smoothly.
2. Gather your Thoughts
Try to wake up before the children. Take five minutes ‘me time’ every midweek morning to grab a cup of tea and slice of toast, and gather your thoughts before waking the kids.
3. Wake the Kids
A single, calm wake up call to the family should be enough and, where possible, should take place between 7am and 7.15am – this was voted as the most popular time to wake the family. The key is not to shout.
4. Lure the Kids out of Bed
Lure youngsters out of bed with the smell of fresh toast and pop music. The most popular aroma to help get children out of bed is freshly toasted bread, while Gangnam Style and One Direction top the charts as the most popular wake up soundtrack.
5. Get Washed, Cleaned and Dressed
To avoid peak stress levels, spend 10-30 minutes overseeing the kids getting washed, teeth cleaned and dressed. Again, the key is not to shout - it’s ineffective and a horrible way to start the day.
6. Enjoy Breakfast
Allow 20-25 minutes to eat together with the children - the morning is proven to be less stressful if mums physically take time to sit down with their children, with no distractions.
7. Off to School You Go
Follow the above and it should now take no more than five minutes to prepare to leave the house for school.
How do you handle the stress of the morning school run? Let us know by commenting below or tweeting us @FemaleFirst_UK
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