Parents of multiple children often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work that always needs to be done. By the time you have cooked breakfast, packed lunches, and put your kids on the school bus, you are ready for a nap. Your day, however, has just begun. You still have to toss some clothes in the washing machine, do the dishes, make the beds, drink a cold cup of coffee, drop the baby off at daycare, and get to work on time.
Tips From Moms
Mothers of multiple children say that establishing a regular weekday routine is important. Children adapt quickly to a regular schedule. Set specific times for getting up, eating breakfast, leaving for school, doing homework, taking a bath, and going to bed. This routine will help you get other things done. Throw in a load of laundry while the kids are eating breakfast. Make tomorrow’s lunches right after supper, and put in the refrigerator. After supper, check your weather app to know how the children should dress the next day. Before going to bed, have your children place their backpacks by the door, and lay out their school clothes for the next day. The next morning will go smoothly.
Promote Independence
Parents are often puzzled when their hear how helpful their child is at school, or how they cleaned up the table after having lunch at a friends. Encourage your child to be independent by expecting more from them. Teach your child how to do something, such as making the bed, and then let him or her do it. It won’t be perfect, but don’t redo it. Allow children to try and solve their problems before stepping in to offer help. Assign reasonable chores to each child, and compliment them when they finish. Children don’t need to be rewarded for doing their chores, but the words “good job” builds your child’s confidence and self-respect.
Be Consistent With Discipline
Your children will test you to discover how much they can get away with before you get frustrated. When you make a rule, stick to it. If there is no television or game time allowed before homework is done, make no exceptions. Don’t fall prey to the “just ten more minutes” ploy when it’s the children’s bedtime. They’ll ask for “ten more minutes” several times if allowed to, and then have a hard time getting up the next morning. You and your children will be happier when boundaries are set and the consequences of disobeying are known. If you warn your child to stop a certain behavior and he or she persists, enforce the consequences for the action. It may be losing a privilege for the rest of the day, having a time out, or going to bed early that night. When you follow through, your child knows you mean action and they will respect you.
Parents and children benefit from having a weekday routine to follow. Try some of these tips with your children and see what results you have.
