I have recently started working 2 days a week and it has upped the level of intensity during the hour between wakeup time and off-to-the-bus time. However, I do find that I try to streamline that hour a little bit more since I like very much to come home to a decent looking house (not one that looks as if a tornado had passed through). For your information, my children’s ages are 7, 5, and 3. I realize that every age group is at different levels of independence and self-sufficiency. Here is a list of things that we try to do to get ready in the morning.

1. Set my alarm for 6:30. Children are not allowed to come out of their rooms before 7 a.m.
2. Get a shower. Get dressed in the clothes I laid out the night before.
3. Check email. Respond to urgent matters.
4. Hustle everyone downstairs at 7 for breakfast. Start load of laundry.
5. While children are eating cereal and fruit, I am emptying the dishwasher. Steal sips of coffee.
6. While children are dressing, I am preparing entire family’s lunches.
7. Pack backpacks with snowpants, sneakers, water bottles, and lunch bags. Try not to forget homework, library books, and show-and-tell on the appropriate days.
8. Put clothes in the dryer and add another load.
9. Turn off space heater and put Baron in the basement.
10. Begin the 5-minute process of donning winter coats, snow boots, hats, scarves, and gloves. Leave for the bus stop at 8 a.m.

Whew! I’m exhausted just writing that. And just think, tomorrow morning I get to start it all over again! What do you do to make your morning routine a little smoother?