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When it comes to mornings, I am not usually wide eyed and bushy-tailed. I totally blame it on my genetics, although the older I get, the more I want to get better at mornings. Especially those mornings when I know we’re leaving and won’t be back for hours. Whether it’s errands, playdates, soccer practice or going to and from preschool or the gym, when we leave in the morning, I don’t want to have to come back in between activities. So the easier I can make getting out the door, the better the morning goes – for everyone!
THREE HACKS FOR GETTING YOUR FAMILY OUT THE DOOR
HAVE A CALENDAR NEAR THE DOOR, SHOWING WHAT IS SCHEDULED FOR EACH DAY
This is big folks. Not only does this help keep the whole family aware of what that day, week, even month might look like (it totally depends on what type of calendar you have handing up), but having a visible reminder of what’s coming is so helpful for staying organized. The calendar we have up on our wall is just a large, dry erase calendar – and it’s NOT the only calendar I keep – but having the boys activities listed and the out of the norm commitments for my husband on that board, helps keeps me on track. It makes getting out the door so much easier, because I know if we’re heading to soccer that afternoon, or this is the day we’re hitting a park and will be out over lunch.
PACKING SNACKS FOR THE DAY
This is the second biggest thing that helps me get out the door and stay out. It never fails, even if we were just planing on running a quick errand, my kids always, always ask for a snack. So I’ve started packing an insulated bag filled with snacks. If I know that we’re going to be out over lunch, I grab a container and pack a lunch for them too. What kind of snacks I pack totally varies – depending on what we have in the house, and what the boys are in to these days. Usually there are fruits, nuts, and cheeses of some kind. But no matter what I pack, I always make sure to have a treat of some kind. Not only is it a great motivator to eat their lunch (if we have one) or keep a great attitude if we’re doing something that they’re not thrilled with, but everyone loves a little something sweet.
For me, my sweet treat was adding a little splash of International Delight® OREO® Flavored Coffee Creamer to my coffee. Guys, this creamer was not overly sweet, and had that amazing flavor of OREO®. Who would say no to that? Also, if you’re a protein shake drinker, adding a splash to your drink would be delicious!
Putting these YoCrunch® Lowfat Yogurt Cookies ‘n Cream with OREO® Cookie Pieces in their snack bag was a big hit! OREO®s are one of our favorite cookies (I’m pretty sure they hold the ‘America’s Favorite Cookie®’ too) but because they’re paired with a low-fat yogurt in a ready to-go snack, I scored major mom points for packing this snack! AND, I was able to pick these up and my International Delight® OREO® Flavored Coffee Creamer using Walmart’s Online Grocery Pickup service, which have you used this yet?!? It was incredibly simple to use (look for the app!) and I loved having my groceries brought out to me!
KNOWING WHAT TO WEAR
Not gonna lie, the calendar helps with this one too. If I see that Ajax has a soccer game on Saturday, it gives me a melt note to make sure his soccer gear is clean and ready to be worn. So not dressing him in his soccer jersey on Friday would be smart. I, personally am a big fan of dressing for the occasion, or occasional specific! I think you have more confidence and are more comfortable when what you’re wearing matching what you are doing. Trust me, my boys will get dirt all over everything. But they never come home saying “Mom, I got my hiking shoes dirty” after a morning of playing in the mountains. They know that’s what those shoes were made for!
I know we can’t be the only ones who always seem to be headed out the door! So find a calendar system that is visible and works for you, dress in occasional appropriate clothing, and grab yourself an insulated bag and pack some snacks! I think if you add YoCrunch® Lowfat Yogurt Cookies ‘n Cream with OREO® Cookie Pieces to that snack pile, you might get some sweet kisses from your kiddos!
