Organization is one of the things in my life that is at the top of my list that I need to keep me sane. If things are a mess, my anxiety goes into hyperdrive. As you would imagine this can be a tricky situation being a parent, especially to a younger kid. For me, I've found that prepping anything and everything is key and de-stresses me exceptionally. To some people, it may seem a little nuts. But, being able to have a fairly stress free morning especially on school days, is worth it to me. Before Preston started kindergarten, he never attended any other schooling. Pre-school costs are literally insane in CT, equivalent to a mortgage payment. So, he stayed home with me and I did my best to teach him to the best of my ability. He knew his ABC's by two, and was counting to 20 by four so I was happy. I had him in activities to socialize so it met all of his developmental and social needs. When school started in the fall, I knew I needed to have a system in place when it came to our schedule. Luckily for me, he likes things in order too for the most part so we work as a team for this.
On school nights, everything and I mean EVERYTHING is prepped for the next morning. Once he goes to bed, I immediately make his lunch and snack for the next day. I put all of my morning vitamins and his morning vitamins in bowls on the counter, I put his breakfast stuff on his shelf in the fridge where he's able to reach it. (He wakes up like he's farmer getting ready to go work, and he's old enough now to get his stuff.) When he comes home from school, he loves to pick out his outfit for the next day. He places whatever he wants to wear on his bed, lines up his shoes, then chooses the pajamas he wants to wear for that night. Usually while he's doing this I will prep his other bath stuff so it's all ready to go after dinner. It's seamless and works so well for us. After he's in bed and lunch is all packed up for the next day, I will tidy up, take a shower, and pick out my outfit for the next day. I usually hit the gym in the morning after school drop off, so I lay all of my clothes out on the dresser and put my gym bag and sneakers with his backpack and jacket so it's all a quick grab. Morning routine is seamless for us because there's no scrambling looking for anything. He's able to hang out and have his breakfast, play with his trucks, and color pictures. I make beds first thing in the morning, and I truly think it sets the tone for the day. Showering at night makes things so much easier too, it's one less thing to add to the chaos.
I'm also a big list maker. Every Sunday I like to sit down with my planner and calendar and map out the week. I write down meetings, appointments, and what bills are due on what days. I also like to add things to my phone calendar just in case I'm out because I leave my planner at home. Having anxiety for my entire life has taught me many things. As I got older, and became a parent I have definitely learning what coping mechanisms work for me, and how to get ahead of things that will trigger it. Being organized plays the major role in that. Yes, life throws curveballs and this all may seem a little taxing but if I can get a stress-free morning I'm all in. Honestly, getting all the stuff I need to do the night before makes me feel super accomplished at the end of the day too. It's definitely a Mom boost in my book and I think it's positive for him to also see everyday tasks being prepped and planned for his own organizational skills as he gets older. I'd love to know if you have any organizational tips to make your routine easier! My e-mail is always open!
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