Need advice from organized moms!

navacooper

Mon, Aug 10 2009, 8:35 pm

Hi everybody!

I'm a writer working on an article for a well-known Jewish magazine and I need some good stories / tips to give moms chizuk and advice during the school year. Sorry to be so vague...Please PM me and I'll be more specific. Smile

I will be happy to change your name for privacy when I write the article if you so desire.

Thanks in advance and kol tuv!!

NC

ShakleeMom

Tue, Aug 11 2009, 10:46 pm

buy lead pencils, skip the regular pencils. most teachers will allow it, and your kid will always have a sharp pencil.

I buy about 30 packs at wal-mart in September, which lasts for the year usually. I keep a pack in the kitchen drawer so the kids can refill as needed without asking.

your turn.

pgk

Tue, Aug 11 2009, 10:56 pm

Know that it is just that, a school "year". This year will pass like any other, whether you or your child like or dislike the teacher, end up in the nerdy class. have a hard time arranging carpool etc. etc. All the difficulties and hardships that may be associated with this school year will come to an end in June. Gam zeh yaavor!

navacooper

Tue, Aug 11 2009, 10:58 pm

Hi again!

Thanks for the tips (and for reading my column, LOL!). Nobody sent me a PM yet, so I'm going to be more specific:

What do you do to ensure that school mornings go smoothly? Especially if you have a bunch of small kids who can't or won't get themselves ready? How do you teach your kids to be responsible for some of their morning routine? Stuff like that.

And on the flip side...I'd love to read some "morning disaster stories"! (PM me if they're really over the top!) Very Happy

Thanks!

Nava

pina colada

Tue, Aug 11 2009, 11:01 pm

I enjoy your writing style, very down to earth yet interesting to read.

I prepare everything the night before, including mitzva notes, tzedaka, clothes, to keep mornings the least hectic possible.

Breakfast is often grilled cheese or toast with butter/ margarine and hard boiled eggs. These take very little time to prepare.

flowerpower

Tue, Aug 11 2009, 11:08 pm

I prepare bookbags the night before, know in my head what they will wear the next day, and make sure the shoes are where they belong because they have a tendency of hiding right before the bus comes.

If you are thinking of something different to write you can write about kids that are not tired and can't fall asleep. There are some teqniques like malatonim for boys(they say it's not good for girls to take them)that is a miracle pill.

navacooper

Tue, Aug 11 2009, 11:16 pm

Thanks, flutterfly and flowerpower! I hope you don't mind if I quote you -- although I will make up a new name for you like we writers always do.

If anybody has a really funny or embarrassing story about a morning that went horribly wrong, you can post as "amother". Wink

Oh, and please let me know if your kids are preschool-age, elementary, high school or several different ages!

Thanks,
Nava

BoomChickaPop

Tue, Aug 11 2009, 11:44 pm

My dd is in preschool and she likes to pick out what she wears to school, I try to have only weather appropriate clothing in her drawer so that she will not pick out a short sleeve t-shirt when it is cool outside. Also, she picks out her clothing the night before (as opposed to my picking it out the night before). My kids each has 2 drawers and they get dressed themselves (1 preschool and 2 elementary school). I try to have the kids pack their napsacks the night before and put their snacks in, this helps the morning go smoothly. If my dd has a note that says that she needs xyz for the next day then I put it into her napsack the night before and sign hw the night before.

zigi

Tue, Aug 11 2009, 11:47 pm

I taught my 4 year old son what matches I tell him to go get dressed and he can put together a nice out fit.

if I am really on top of things I try to get everything ready the night before. notes signed mitzva notes written bags packed diapers and baby wipes and formula that is ready to feed in the diaper bag is already to go.

I overslept a few times then I just shove clothes on the kids and bring them down to the bus.

when I was expecting I couldn't get my act together I was so tired and I was naseous in the morning I got one kid dressed then I had to run to the bathroom etc. untill I finally got out of the house. I brought the kids to school late everyday for a few months. a teacher told me you don't have help in the morning other people also have young kids. I felt bad but then when I started to show people cut me some slack.

queen

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 12:19 am

we have 3 kids bH under the age of 4.

We don't go downstairs in the morning until everyone is dressed, beds are made and (upstairs) rooms all clean. Only then do we go down to have breakfast.

All lunches (for kids and husband) made the night before.

Sunflower

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 7:31 am

continuing with the "everything prepared the night before" theme. I've got 4 kids BH 7 years old and under. Besides for preparing schoolbags,clothes, etc, I set the table for breakfast (bowls and spoons) with the cereal on the table. Any mitzvah notes get left next to the child's bowl as they love to read them at breakfast. I also leave a vitamin per child and tzedakah box with tzedaka for everyone to give. My oldest will usually pour out breakfast for everyone, & they sit happily at the table, eating breakfast/vitamins giving tzedaka, etc, which gives me a few extra minutes to feed the baby/get myself dressed, etc....

Another timesaver I used to use was making huge batches of pancakes and freezing them, then popping them in the toaster in the morning. The kids loved this warm breakfast on our freezing winter mornings.

Last note, I find if I can get up a few minutes earlier than the kids, and get myself dressed and ready, the morning always runs more smoothly.

navacooper

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 7:53 am

Hi all,

It's true, the morning does go so much better if I get up before the kids. I also try to have everything signed, homework done, briefcases packed the night before. Because I am NOT a morning person. Wink

I love the idea of writing the mitzvah tzetlach at night and putting them by the child's bowl! Good ideas, everybody -- thanks!!

Nava

BrachaC

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 12:48 pm

There were years where my husband did the mornings by himself. I wrote up a checklist and attached it to the front door (it was magnetic) this included what days were gym days and the kids needed sneakers, what days the pre-school kids had show and tell etc. It was also just a great way to take a second and run through the list: lunch, back pack, homework, water bottle etc.

acccdac

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 2:03 pm

like everyone else said, make sure backpacks, lunches, clothes permissions slips are all ready before bedtime. for the older kids let them do it all and just check it.

You can also have them put together outfits on a hanger with a tag stating the day of the week on it, and on sunday let them choose clothes for the whole week on the weekend (I got this idea from another magazine)

one other thing that a friend told me she does....she puts outfits away after doing laundry. Meaning should puts undershirt, underware, socks, shirt, and pants/skirts together in a pile and that is how it goes in the closet. So the child can help themselves to an outfit that you approve of. (just need to remember where shoes and tzizus were put.

Oh maybe have a basket or mud room area where shoes are kept, so you are not running around the house looking for shoes minutes before needing to leave. Same idea with the tzizus and kipas, they should be kept in the same place all the time, so it can always be found fast.

dmum

Thu, Aug 13 2009, 7:11 am

my oldest dd (4) comes home from school at 4.30 and is often tired, kvetchy etc. She is the type who likes knowing what's happening in advance.
So I discuss supper with her the night before/in the morning so she knows what it is/can pick it herself (with my input). That when she comes home there are (generally) no tantrums that she doesn't like what's for supper.
I also try to set the supper table before I take the younger ones out in the afternoon so that when we come home from park etc it is all ready and when she gets home from school I can give my attention to her (and not to supper).

YALT

Thu, Aug 13 2009, 7:56 am

well, not much experience yet.
I agree about doing as much as possible the night before.
The worst morning I've had was the last day of school. DS insisted he didn't want to walk down the flight of steps. So we went in the elevator. Not only did the bus come right when we were in the elevator, but DD got her hand stuck in the door. I was screaming for help & no one was around! After pulling & yanking her hand finally came out. We were supposed to leave town 3 hours later, and I had to run to the doctor (which of course takes atleast 1 hour if not more) to make sure she's fine, and then pick up the car, fill it up, prepare food, pick up DS & DH.
It was no fun!
But I don't think that's the kind of story you were really looking for.
BTW, which magazine do you write for?

bbmom

Thu, Aug 13 2009, 9:42 am

Okay not my idea (don't have school age kids yet LOL

) but I think it's a great one.

I know one mother who buys big bags of snack food (pretzels etc) instead of small (cheaper) and divides them into small ziplock bags right away. She keeps a box of assorted ziplock bagged snacks in the pantry and uses them as an incentive for a smooth morning routine. Anyone who finishes their routine on their own by a certain time (up, negel vasser, dressed, brachos, breakfast, etc) gets to choose their own snack for the day and anyone who is not ready by that time gets their snack chosen for them.

Prepare backpacks, sign homeworks, mitzvah notes etc the day before (not at 9 pm!). Homework shouldn't be interferring with bedtime routine.