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| For the first 30 days after twins or triplets come home; enjoying a quiet cup of coffee while reading the newspaper will not be possible without help in the morning. |
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Madness in the morning can be minimized by creating a schedule whereby everyone in the family is aware. If your house is crazy with kids screaming, T.V's and IPOD's in ears you'll need to make some adjustments by implementing a few house rules. Here are some suggestions for a better morning in your house:
Start by organizing your children's clothing the night before. If they are five or six years of age, they should be able to dress themselves. Place two choices of clothing in the same designated place in their room or let them pick and choose the outfit for the next day. Always give two choices, or they will wake up and decide they changed their mind and do not want to wear what they picked. Make sure backpacks are lined up by the door. Homework must be completed the moment they walk in the house. Designate a quiet place in the house where your children can study and get their homework completed. If they need help with homework, or seem to be struggling with a subject, check with friends older children for possible tutoring after school to help you out while you're tending to the babies. Develop a schedule and house rule each day to work within your schedule. Be sure your children are visible at all times. You don't want your kids playing in the front yard by themselves while you are inside feeding the twins or triplets. Find an activity to keep them occupied while you are feeding the twins. Establish rules while you are feeding the babies. A large calendar posted somewhere in the house like a grease board is great for keeping track of sports schedules, tests, special needs for field trips, parent teacher conferences, organized help, family help etc., This calendar is not for mom or dad although it will help; it is for the kids daily questions... "Do I have practice today... is today my special day?" You know what we are talking about.
If you know your child is having a test you could purchase a small recorder and record the questions.... pause... then give the answer. This works great for helping your child study for an upcoming test. You can purchase small Dictaphones at your local office supply store along with additional tapes. Spouse out of town and trying to figure out a problem? Don't have the time because you are multi-tasking? Got a camera picture phone? Take a photo and send it to your spouse and pass the phone to your child to work with your husband on the problem together on the phone.
No... T.V, IPod, Phones, video games, computers, or visitors in the morning. If they are all dressed and had breakfast by a certain time they can watch T.V. in one room. Decide a head of time which program it will be. Some T.V.'s allow you to program a shut off time. If yours does, schedule it to shut off 5 minutes before you need to leave. When the T.V. shuts off the kids grab their back packs, help you, and pile into the car. If they fight over who sits where, assign seats or have them pick from a jar the night before for the next day. Distractions must be kept to a minimum and quarreling eliminated.
Make lunches the night before or pay for school lunches. For field trips use paper bags and write their names on the bag with a marker. Freeze a juice bag and put it in the paper bag to keep items cool. It's usually a refreshing slushy by the time lunch comes around. Place cereals in plastic containers with plastic lid. This eliminates oversized boxes, fighting over reading the cereal box and makes it easier for self pouring of cereal in the morning. Cut the cereal box name and tape it to the plastic container. The night before leave out spoons, napkins, bowls and cereal plastic containers. Children over 6 years of age should be able to take on pouring their own cereal without a mess.
Promote family teamwork. If someone in the family is slacking and another helps them out in the morning. Let them put their name in a jar for a special privilege pick of the week or let them choose from a privilege jar just for them. This could be a play date, movies, pizza night, phone time, you decide. Find your children doing something right and thank them and praise them for it. This may encourage and reward good behavior.
Teach your children to shut off lights when they leave a room so all you have to do is check the doors. Keep an extra key for your house and your car in the diaper bag. You may need to make a key rule so your older children don't lock the house or car keys accidentally inside (it happens).
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