Eight Tips for Being On Time with Kids
Going places with small children can be a monumental task. Sometimes it seems like more work than it’s worth. Can you relate? As I write this, my kids are the ages of five, two, and three months old. I find that it can be a challenge to do most things at this stage of life. One of the biggest challenges is getting places on time. I have experienced showing up to places late and it can be embarrassing, to say the least.
Most of the time when I take my kids somewhere, I am the solo adult. Not only am I the only adult when we arrive to our destination, but I am the only one getting them fed, bathed, dressed, diaper bag packed, shoes on, buckled in the car, etc. It can be a lot to handle.
So, how does a mom successfully get herself and small kids ready to head out the door and arrive anywhere on time? Let me tell you, I know it can really be a struggle. From toddler tantrums to having to change one kid’s clothes for the third time to another kid taking ten minutes on the toilet right as you need to leave, it can sometimes be a miracle to even make it out the door, let alone on time.
That’s why I have created a list of eight tips that can help you be on time even when you have your kids on your own. It has certainly helped me! If you’re a parent who always has your kids on your own, I want to tell you that, YOU ROCK! On the flip side, if you always have the help of another parent, adult or older kids, these tips are still great for you! Being late will happen sometimes, but it can be the exception, not the norm. By following these simple steps, you will be well on your way to arriving on time the next time you and the kiddos leave the house.
#1 – Decide It’s Important
If you don’t believe it is important to be on time then you likely won’t be on time. Telling yourself that whoever is waiting on you will give you grace because you have kids (or any other reason) is not the way to think. Yes, grace is needed in this world in a whole lot of instances. But, you still need to try your best. Trying your best to be on time will set you up for success. Assuming it’s not a big deal to be late will set you up to be late. Your mindset makes a big difference! It is respectful and courteous to arrive places at the time you’re supposed to. It also shows the person/people that you believe they are important enough to show up on time. Sometimes it takes selflessness to accomplish this, which we will discuss more below š On a side note – if you are running behind, it speaks volumes if you call or text the person waiting on you to let them know. Especially businesses and offices that schedule appointments. If you’re considerably late, they may have you reschedule. But starting off with the goal of being on time will help you make it a priority to not be late.
#2 – Plan ahead
Let’s assume that you need to leave the house bright and early in the morning. Planning ahead will consist of accomplishing as much as you can the night before. Decide what you and your children will wear and lay it out, if possible. Set out as much as you can for breakfast, such as packets of oatmeal, bowls, spoons and cups. Pack the diaper bag with everything you need so you can grab it and go. The night before is also the ideal time to have any special items prepped and ready. If you’re headed to a birthday party, don’t wait to wrap the gift until two minutes before you need to leave. Doing it ahead of time will save you a lot of stress and keep you from running behind. If your child needs a permission slip signed along with $8 in cash, get it ready before you go to bed the night before. Trying to hunt down the money (emptying piggy banks, looking under the couch) while also getting yourself and the kids ready may not lead to success. Not planning ahead is one of the biggest reasons you will run behind and show up late.
#3 – Have a Schedule
Part of planning ahead is having a schedule. Working backward can be a great way to schedule your time. Let’s say you and your kids are to be at an appointment at 9:00 a.m. Start planning your schedule by working backward from 9:00. Here is an example of how to do that:
- The goal is to be checked in and sitting in the waiting room before 9:00; this would be considered “on time.”
- It will take about 10 minutes to find a parking spot, get the kids out, in a stroller, in the door of the office and checked in (arrive to the parking lot at 8:45 – remember, you want to check in before 9:00, so allow 5 extra minutes).
- The drive from your house to the parking lot is about 20 minutes (leave home at 8:25).
- It takes about 5 minutes to get the kids in the car and buckled (Load car at 8:20).
- Dressing, changing diapers, brushing teeth, combing hair and putting on shoes takes 20 minutes (start this process at 8:00).
- Fixing breakfast takes about 5 minutes and eating breakfast will take about 10 minutes (start breakfast at 7:45).
- From the time the kids are woken until they are at the breakfast table is usually 10 minutes (wake kids at 7:35).
- It takes about 10 minutes to feed the baby, which can be done while waiting for the big kids to come to breakfast (also 7:35).
- Before the kids wake up, get ready by showering, getting dressed, putting on makeup and doing hair. This will take 50 minutes (get in shower at 6:45).
- Do a 30 minute workout (start at 6:15).
- Since it is unlikely that everything will go exactly as planned, it’s important to wake up 20 minutes earlier than you think is needed. Start the first step (workout) at this time. This will allow extra time for anything that could happen to make you late. Even though you may like to sleep longer, start the day early (get out of bed at 5:55).
#4 – Allow Extra Time
It is important to start the process of being on time early, as you can see on the last step above. There is always a chance that unforeseen circumstances will arise and cause delays. Allowing extra time for diaper blow-outs, cleaning up spills, road construction, etc. will optimize your chances of being on time. The best time to build in these extra minutes is at the beginning. There is just too much going on in the middle. Planning on breakfast going more quickly or hoping to face less traffic than usual are unreliable ways to try to add minutes to your schedule. Giving yourself extra time at the beginning will help your schedule run much more smoothly. You could possibly even arrive to your destination early!
# 5 – Be Selfless
You may be thinking, “How can I be MORE selfless?” I know. You already put the needs of everyone else before your own. You make sacrifices for other people all day long. But, sometimes prioritizing being on time will require extra sacrifices. For example, if you oversleep by 30 minutes that may mean skipping the coffee shop drive-thru. Or, it may mean putting your hair in a ponytail rather than curling it. Showing those waiting for you that they are important and worthy of your time could sometimes mean cutting “me” things out. When you make it a priority to be on time, you are deciding that non-essentials take a backseat. (Although, I know quite a few people who would not consider stopping to get coffee a non-essential, ha ha!) Waking up extra early, when all you want to do is get a little more sleep, is another way to selflessly make it more possible to be on time. Giving yourself extra time to arrive on time, rather than using that time for yourself, greatly decreases your chances of being late.
#6 – Don’t Squeeze Your Schedule
Going hand-in-hand with being selfless and planning ahead is not trying to squeeze too much stuff into your schedule. When trying your best to be on time, squeezing things in can be a complete sabotage. Attempting to accomplish too many tasks before you have to be somewhere is a recipe for showing up late. If you’re running late, or even right on time, don’t decide that it’s a good time for a “real quick stop.” If the stop can be made another time, then wait for another time. Only allow added things into your schedule if you legitimately have extra time (like 20 minutes or more!). However, there may sometimes be situations that will require a stop or two that cannot wait. An example of this is stopping at the pharmacy before it closes because you’re out of medication. In situations like this, you need to make the stop. But, if making the stop will make you late, then be sure to call/text whoever is waiting on you. If you want to be on time and also accomplish other things on the way to your destination, be sure to make those things a part of your schedule rather than trying to squeeze them in as you go.
#7 – Be Happy
It can be easy to get caught up in the stress and chaos that can surround trying to get out the door on time with kids. But try not to focus on the craziness and focus on being happy and making things fun. Try singing songs or playing music while you make breakfast. Add a chocolate chip smiley face to the kids’ pancakes. Tell your kids what you love about them while you’re getting them dressed. None of these things will take much extra time, if any. If you don’t enjoy mornings then you probably won’t enjoy having to stick to a morning schedule. And, if you don’t enjoy sticking to a morning schedule, you might find it harder to be on time. In order to help you stick to your schedule and arrive to your destination on time, have an attitude of joy. As a byproduct of being happy, it might rub off on your kids and they might be in a better mood and more cooperative, too!
#8 – Be Committed
If you stay committed to following the steps above, you will have a great chance of arriving to where you need to be on time. Don’t let little things derail you on your way – like adding non-essentials to your schedule. When you commit to doing everything you can to not be late, you cannot allow distractions. Commit to not making a quick stop here or there that could cause you to be late. No extra time to get coffee? Then no coffee, even if you think you really need it. Stay the course, stick to your schedule and you can be on time!
We all know being late is a part of life sometimes. But having a plan and a goal to show up on time is a great place to start. It can be overwhelming to get yourself and your kids ready and out the door. It can also be embarrassing and inconvenient to be late. Implementing the eight simple tips above will help you get places on time and you’ll feel like a super hero!
Do you have any other tips for showing up on time with your kids? Comment below and let me know. I would love to hear from you!
