Back in the groove: Time-saving tips to help make school mornings less hectic for parents and kids
MILWAUKEE -- September marks the start of an adjustment period for parents as they try to ease back into productivity mode. Local mom of two and founder of The Foot Traffic Formula joins Real Milwaukee with some time-saving tips for parents.
Busy doesn't even begin to cover Stacy's life and schedule, which is why she`s perfected time saving hacks to help systemize her life both at home and at work. Stacy`s go-to time saving tips for parents include:
Sunday routine:
1. Determine a routine for Sunday that sets your week up for success: If you don`t start right, you won`t end right. Since Sundays are usually a slower day for most families use the time wisely - have the kids pack their activity bags for the week ahead of time - because no one likes getting to dance and realizing their leotard isn't packed!
a.To get your kids to pack their activity bags for the week, make it a 'Sticker of the Day' challenge! Stacy has this ongoing challenge going with both of her daughters. When they do something good, they get to put a sticker on their tracker (a piece of printer paper). Once they get to 20 stickers that means mom gets to plan something fun for them - a trip to the toy store, ice cream at their favorite spot, etc.
Delegate:
2. Know who is responsible for what and have systems in place: Don`t be afraid to assign your spouse and kids tasks of their own! Because if you don`t, they`ll just think your superwoman and have everything handled. Whoever is assigned the task, make it clear that it`s theirs to own. For instance, Stacy never has and never will mow the lawn, and that`s one less thing for her to think about.
In Stacy's family, each person has a shoe bin in the mudroom. If it gets to the point where the shoe bin is overflowing, each family member knows he or she is responsible for putting those shoes back in their room. Stacy loves using "triggers" such as this (in this case an overflowing shoe bin) to signify that it`s time for organization to take place and that you alone are responsible for your things.
Same Sleep Schedule:
3. Keep everyone on the same sleep schedule: Even on weekends! Routine will keep the kids fresh come Monday morning, and you`ll even find they sleep better. Stacy uses the bedtime feature on her phone to wake up at 6am every morning!
a. Stacy knows firsthand how tough it can be to keep that 6am wakeup call when it`s pitch black outside. But if mom doesn`t set the precedent then who will? That`s why she owns an alarm clock with a wake-up light feature to simulate the sun rise. It really goes the extra mile in helping your mind on those cold, dark mornings. She`ll bring this as a visual but will be careful not to reference the brand.
Schedule down time:
4. Schedule time for white space in your calendar: R&R is imperative if you want to achieve your goals at work and school. Just as you need your Saturday morning spin class, kids need to be kids and have some 'me time' as well.