So, school has finally begun for my 05-year-old again, and even though I was thinking it would be easier this time, I must admit it's quite a challenge - especially with her progress into primary school from montessori and having to become all grown-up in the amount of time she spends for school - 08 hours each day for school at 05 years of age is, I feel, a crime to let kids go through!
But simply can't help it as that's how it is!
So even though the last 3 years of Montessori passed on quite smoothly, of course there were the initial tears in the first couple of weeks the first year, my daughter was happy about school - but this time round, I can't say the same.
I am a born night-bird, and much as I can see it now, so is my daughter, and this fact is not helping either me or my little one. While I have my own issues to fight each day to wake up in the morning, it's a different game plan altogether to make her wake up in time for the school bus.
I've been bad at not being able to make her get off sleep and get ready in time for the past few days and yes, she did miss school on a few occasions, but I'm getting on track now. So here are a few things that are helping me, and I hope they will help you if you're in a similar situation as me:
Early to bed early to rise: Yes, so to spare myself and my daughter the trouble of fighting through the morning madness each day, I've made it a point that I put her to bed well in time each day. So it is that each day, by about 8 or latest 8:30pm her dinner is done and she is tucked in bed with a few stories. Then it's time for me to quietly lie down with her and make her doze off. She generally takes about 30 minutes after that to just close her eyes and sleep, so by 9 9:15 she is asleep each night.
Planning that tiffin: Since my daughter leaves for school at 8:20 in the morning and comes back only around 4:20 in the evening (that too when the school is just 15 minutes away!) she needs to carry 2 tiffin boxes. And if I leave the food planning for the morning, chances are she won't really get anything in the lunch box. So I make sure I plan out the previous day what I'll be giving her for lunch. A quick look in the fridge and cupboards should be a rule.
Supplying stationery: My daughter invariably leaves a pencil or eraser or sharpener or ruler in school each single day, so I make sure I check through her supplies each night and re-fill what's lost (these are never found back again, so now I'm better prepared by stocking up on supplies like pencils erasers sharpeners rulers and colours).
Going through the bag: Even though teachers may write out notes and tell the kids about it, 05 year olds have too much exciting things in life to do than remember all of that. So I check her school diary and go through her bag each evening just to make sure that all forms are filled (if any) and everything is in place.
Readying the uniform the night before: Doing this the previous night is always better as I don't have to run around the house at the last minute. I also try and keep the comb, ribbons and hairbands handy and at a place that I know I keep them constantly. This way I can easily grab them in the morning while in a rush.
Alarm time: Since I'm such a not-a-morning-person, I make sure I put the alarm for my wake up call at least 20-30 minutes before I need to really wake up, and then again I set it at an interval of every 10 minutes, so that for the 30 minutes before I really need to be out of bed, the alarm keeps ringing at every 10 minutes, making sure all my sleep is gone :-(
These are some of the things that have been making me work out the morning rush a bit better and I hope some of this helps you too. I'm always looking out at ways that can help me manage my home life, daughter, family and work life better, so if you have any ideas and tips, do let me know as well! :-)
- Debolina Raja Gupta
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And like I always believe in and say:
'Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children' - MJ
Happy Parenting!!!!
Be good to your little one, and to the millions of little ones out there who truly need every bit of love and compassion they can get.....Be a grown up...save the little ones.... Debolina Raja Gupta
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