You CAN be the “sane” school run mum

The school run is one of the hardest parts of life with kids and is perhaps the biggest reason for lost sleep once our kids reach schooling age.

Why do we hate this dreaded school fundamental so very much, you ask? Because of the crowds, the beeping, and the insane road rage to name a few reasons.

The trouble is that, if you want your kids to arrive in class on time, you have no real choice but to join the crowd.

Or do you?

After all, at every school, there is always one mum who seems to rise above it all.

You know the one – she gets the best spot, never seems to break so much as a school run sweat, and always sweeps in with kids who look like they’ve never rushed in their lives.

But, instead of hating on that mum, it’s time to start seeing her as the role model she is. After all, if she can do it, so can you!

Making it happen is all about understanding the following skills for school run sanity, and arrivals that don’t leave you needing a lie-down before you’ve even had your elevenses.

Skill 1 – Forethought

Super mum didn’t get where she is by winging it!

Instead, she implemented forethought at every single stage. Joining her is all about getting into the habit of planning ahead.

At a fundamental level, this means getting your car ready to face all school run trials through professional servicing, low cost car insurance, and even just a full tank of petrol.

Or, by making sure there are no problems or delays on your usual train or bus route. Checking for unexpected floods or troubles at the stations and bus stops etc.

This way, you know that no matter what happens, you are equipped to deal with it.

Further to this, forethought in the shape of planning your route in advance, and even arriving early (avoiding school run and rush hour traffic) can see you, too, looking cool, calm, and sophisticated at every single school drop off. 

 

Skill 2 – Organisation

There is a very simple reason why super mum looks so relaxed during the school run – organisation.

To some extent, forethought links directly into this, but organisation takes things further by ensuring that you are all poised to put those pre-laid plans into action.

Have uniforms laid out the night before, batch cook breakfasts that cut your mornings in half, and even alarms that ensure you are all awake with plenty of time to spare.

Get yourself up and ready before the kids wake up to make sure that you are calm and collected before all the fuss starts.

If your children like to watch the television while they eat, have it turned on before they get up. It might sound silly, but this cuts out unnecessary time wasting out.

As simple as that, you too could turn up with a full face of makeup, and kids with buttons that are always done in the right order.

At least, that’s the hope…

Skill 3 – Creativity

Super mum doesn’t blindly follow what other parents do. She thinks outside of the box, and you should too.

You can make a fun “grab-and-go” breakfast the night before busy mornings, so you can all have breakfast on the way to school.

Let your humour take over. Be creative in the way you respond to stressful situations in the morning. Avoid an argument (and more time wasted) by keeping a light vibe in the house before the school run.

Simple silly games can make the school run more fun

  • I-spy
  • Car snooker (spot the red/blue/yellow car)
  • Make words from the car license plate letters
  • Spot the road signs
  • You could even “teach and test” your kiddos about road signs and road safety

Most importantly, taking side routes that cut out main roads can save significant time during busy periods, even if it means taking a traditionally longer way around.

Equally, choosing to park a street or two away from your kids’ school could see you beating most other parents, even if it does mean walking for five or ten minutes.

And, what does that matter to you?

You’re super mum, remember?

Photo by Fernanda Greppe on Unsplash