All parents are familiar with the trials and tribulations of the morning school run. It can be manic at times, even with the most thorough of planning. Someone always oversleeps, forgets to pack something in their school bag, or can’t find a piece of uniform. It can sometimes feel like a losing battle trying to get your youngster to school on time. I have teamed up with a prep school in Woking to share some tips on how you can make the morning school run that bit easier.

Prepare the Night Before

Try and plan for all eventualities by putting in the effort the night before. Make sure your child goes to bed at a sensible time so that they aren’t as tired in the morning. This should make it easier for them to get up on time. This article about mastering your child’s bedtime routine might help.

Also lay out their school uniform, prepare their pack lunch, and make sure you sign any letters and forms before bed. It’s so easy to forget something otherwise.

Get Up First

If you are scrambling to get yourself ready while also helping your child, you’ll set yourself up to fail. Instead, set your alarm half an hour earlier than necessary so that you can get dressed and grab yourself a coffee before your child wakes up. That way, you can give them your full attention and help them with anything they need so that they don’t end up making you all late.

Incorporate a Rewards Chart

When trying to encourage your child to do something or behave in a certain way, rewards and praise work a treat. With that said, why not put together a rewards chart? Give your child a star every time they are ready for school on time. Then you can get them a nice treat at the end of the week for every star they received.

Punish Bad Behaviour

Praise typically works better than punishment. However you should certainly make sure your child knows that you will not tolerate any bad behaviour in the mornings. If they throw a tantrum before school and make you late, you could ban them from the games consoles after school so that they get the message that there will be no funny business in the mornings.

Reduce Distractions

If your child is allowed to watch TV or play video games before school, they’re highly unlikely to prioritize getting themselves ready on time. With that said, try and minimize these types of distractions as best you can. Your child ideally shouldn’t be allowed to chill out until all of their morning tasks are complete.