5 Tips to making the school run less stressful

Parents, carers and grandparents tackle the school run every day and somehow survive, but if you come out the other end a frazzled mess or unfazed will depend on your preparation and patience.

Let's run through some ideas for getting through the school run unperturbed. Maybe there is something you hadn’t thought of until now.

The still of the night

Ahh, the serenity once the kids have gone to sleep. There is nothing wrong with preparing breakfast, lunches, bags and clothes the night before, or even straight after dinner.

My mum used to have the plates and cereal ready on the table the night before, ready for the morning, clothes would be at the end of the bed and bags ready at the door. What a machine!

But it worked. However, if you crash as soon as the kids go to bed, wake up an hour before them and do it then.

Routine is key

The word ‘routine’ sounds so boring and mundane but kids love it. It’s all about boundaries and the kids knowing what is expected of them.

Routine works well when you add some fun in there as well. Have your set tasks for morning and night, get the kids involved in helping out and they will soon be doing it themselves.

If children go to bed and wake at set times their bodies get used to those times and they won’t feel as tired and moody at the beginning and end of each day, making your life more bearable.

Don’t forget to schedule fun time for you and the kids.

Compose yourself

I understand how difficult it can be when a little one is having a tantrum and you need to get somewhere, but your stressing out won’t help the situation.

It is well documented that people who practise patience and keep calm in a typically anxious situation will reduce the anxiety in others around them.

It’s also true the other way. If you are running around like a crazy person yelling and stressing out, then anxiety levels will rise in others around you.

Be mindful of your presence, stop and breathe in a stressful situation. It works. Trust me.

But if it doesn’t, just do something really random like start singing your favourite song or start dancing. That will shift the attention quick smart.

Parent networking

Get to know the other parents of kids who go to your children’s school. Find out where they live and what spare time they may have.

Perhaps you can organise to take other parents’ kids to school along with yours and then the other parents can pick your kids up in the afternoon, or vice versa. That way you only have to do one run to school and your kids are making friends along the way.

Parent networks can be a wonderful support to have. You will feel like you are helping out and being a part of a community.

Take a break

That’s right, you deserve a break now and again. Ask for some time off - and that doesn’t mean at school holiday times.

Getting the kids off to school every morning is not easy. If parents say it is, they are delusional or had too much wine the night before.

Give yourself a break and reach out for help when needed. Don’t feel like you need to have it all together all the time, no one is perfect and you're not expected to be.

Strive to make the school years a little less stressful and enjoyable. It won’t be long before they will be off on their own and the dreaded rush to beat the school bell will be a thing of the past.

In between taking the kids to school don’t forget the car needs to be serviced and have safety checks carried out, to make sure the kids are safe.

Booking an AutoGuru mobile mechanic might be more convenient for you, they will come to you.

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