Part of me thinks I’m not qualified to write a post with tips to get out the door on time. I’ve struggled with tardiness since having children. Since I don’t want to have a reputation for always being late, I’ve had to find a way to get out the door on time with my children.
I still struggle to get out the door on time, but I’ve made a lot of progress in this area. I thought I’d pass along 5 tips that have worked for us when we are diligent about doing them. If you’re like me, oftentimes the issue is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of action!
Keep bags stocked with the basics at all times
If you have a baby, this obviously means the diaper bag. Keep your diaper bag stocked with the basic necessities at all times (diapers, wipes, special ointments, pacifiers, etc). Check it at the end of the day or at some other convenient time. You just want to make sure the essentials are in there at all times. You never know when you’ll need to make a quick exit.
If your children are potty training or don’t have many items, this bag might be a small tote bag. You may only need to check the bag on occasion or when your child uses up the items in the bag. This may not be a daily task, depending on what items you keep in the bag.
The basic idea is to keep whatever bags you take along stocked before you even think about leaving the house. It’s one less thing to think about as you are trying to get out the door.
Plan your morning schedule (or exit strategy) the night before
A schedule helps tremendously. It will definitely help on those mornings when you have to be somewhere at a specific time! Know when you need to leave the house in order to get to your destination on time and backtrack. If you are planning out specific time increments, make sure you over plan and give yourself more time than you think.
Children tend to be slow anyway (they have no concept of time) and I find that hurrying them only makes things worse. I want to not only get to my destination on time, but also with a good attitude and knowing we’re all as peaceful as possible.
Related Post: Establishing a Morning Routine
Pack specific items the night before, if possible
If you are going somewhere that will require extra items beyond the basics, then pack those the night before as well. Bring snack, special food for baby, or other special items if you will be gone for a while. Babies usually require a lot more extra items (ex. special bottles, baby food supplies, sippy cups, etc.). It is much easier as my children have gotten older.
Related Post: Establishing an Evening Routine
Get yourself ready before the kids wake
It’s so much easier to get out the door on time when I am ready for the day as the kids wake in the morning. If you are up and ready before they wake, focus on getting them fed and dressed along with any basic housework tasks. I like to make the bed, unload the dishwasher, and straightening the house, etc. before leaving, if possible.
Walk out the door 15 minutes before you actually need to leave
I’ve found it to be so helpful when I walk out the door at least 15 minutes before I need to be driving away. I’ve even gone so far as to set my alarm on my phone. My children are slow. Leaving early gives plenty of time to get loaded into the car without being frantic or rushing. If you’ve forgotten something, then you can run back and grab it without it making you late. It’s just nice to have that extra wiggle room before departing.
I’m a work in progress when it comes to getting out the door on time with my children. The good news is that you can do it with with a little practice and some prep work. I’m proof of it.
Keep in mind though, life is unpredictable and there are times when things happen, no matter how much we plan ahead. While tardiness can be an annoyance, don’t forget to show one another some grace in this area. You never know what type of morning {or evening} the tardy person may have had. If you need to kick your friend in the pants, then just make sure it’s gentle!! 🙂
This is something that my family struggles with big time. We definitely have a reputation for being late and it drives me crazy! Thanks for the tips I can't wait to try them this year to improve our before school schedule!
I hope some of these ideas will help!! Once our new baby comes in October, I'm going to have to tweak my morning schedule to allow more time to care for another little one – so I'll be right there with you! Let me know how things go!! 🙂
Packing lunches the night before and walking out the door early are two things that help us to be punctual. Also, if I am going somewhere new, I always add 15 on to my estimated travel time. Best case, I'm early. Worst case, if I miss a turn or hit traffic or just underestimated my time, I'm still relatively punctual. Oh and it really helps if I don't get sidetracked by the computer myself in the morning!
You are so right about the computer slowing things down in the morning! It sounds like you have a pretty good system in place!! Way to go!! 🙂
Thinking ahead is helpful I find, but I'm really one of those perpetually late moms. Hopefully I can implement these tips this fall!
I hope these will help. I'm certainly not on time for everything either….but I find that just having a strategy has been helpful! Good luck!! 🙂
I always tell my son it is time to leave 30 minutes before it is time because it takes him that long to get out of the door. It helps me to not be screaming at him that we are running late. I hate being late and just cause I have kids doesn't mean that I am ever going to like it…even though it certainly does happen more often now 🙂 Great post!
That's a great idea for older kids! I may have to use it later on. Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Also- I always buckle my children in the car (they 1, 3 and 5 ) and then walk back in the house to do a quick sweep of anything I might have forgotten, or look for something I've lost quickly without them distracting me. I find these last few minutes invaluable in feeling like I'm leaving the house with everything I need and feeling calm!