PREPARING CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL IS EQUIVALENT TO ONE EXTRA DAY OF WORK A WEEK, SAYS A SURVEY

Wake up the children to go to school, dress them and clean them, prepare lunch for mid-morning, deal with the last minute setbacks ... just by listing the list of tasks that parents have to do before leaving our children in school, it already runs out.

Not surprisingly, according to a survey conducted in the United States of 2,000 fathers and mothers, the stress with which we lived that little (but intense) time in the morning would amount to an extra day of paid work a week. Exaggerated or pure reality?

43 average tasks in just a little while tomorrow ... often stress!

Have you ever left your children in the morning at school with the feeling of having lived an entire day in a few hours? Well, you're not the only one, judging by the results of a survey conducted in the United States of 2,000 fathers and mothers.

And it is that if we start to enumerate all the tasks that we do in that little bit of the morning, it is not uncommon to think that we finish exhausted as soon as we start the day. In fact, and according to the survey data, parents do an average of 43 activities in the morning, which include dressing children, preparing breakfast or checking their backpacks.

In Babies and more, why are mothers always tired? Because we work 98 hours a week, the quiet rhythm with which children, especially the youngest ones, take life does not help. Especially when time is short and they don't even know where they left their shoes.

The data obtained in the survey are, at least, curious, and it is not difficult to sketch a smile when being reflected in many of the situations described:

Are you one of those who says to your son "hurry up"? If so, you will probably repeat this phrase a total of 540 times throughout the school year.
Has your little one thrown the glass of milk on top or stained toothpaste before leaving home? Breathe ... according to the sample, children get dirty clothes before arriving at school an average of twice a week.
Have you ever promised your child to buy him a toy or make a funny plan when leaving school if he brushes his teeth or dresses quickly? If so, do not feel guilty because almost 40% of parents surveyed have ever done so. And it is difficult not to fall for certain techniques in order to get children to hurry with their homework!
Did you have to put on makeup or shave in the car or in a public restroom before entering your work? You are not the only one either! According to the survey, almost half of mothers and fathers do not have time to do it at home and should find another way to complete your personal hygiene before arriving at his office.

All this accumulation of tasks and the anxiety involved fight against the clock to get to school on time, it is equivalent, according to the survey, to an extra day of paid work per week. Surprised?

In Babies and more, do you usually arrive late to the sites? Well, according to science, the unpunctual ones get less stressed and live longer

Some tips to take your mornings calmly

If you have felt reflected with the data of this survey or your child does not do well to do the morning tasks with the hour attached to the heelswe share you some tips that can help you face the mornings more calmly:

To begin, it is important to remember that the operation of a home is the task of all its members. From adults, working in equality and co-responsibility, to children, who can begin to get involved from an early age with tasks according to their age.
Get up early: If you find it hard to jump out of bed when the alarm sounds and you are one of those who enjoy swirling between the sheets for a few more minutes, think about the tasks you could get ahead if you got up immediately.

You may think that ten or 15 minutes do not give much, but it is enough time to leave school lunches ready, check your children's backpacks or heat the breakfast milk.

The saying goes, "Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today". That is, advance all the tasks you can do the night before.

And if in the morning we start preparing our tupper to take to the office, the note for your child's teacher with an important indication, the gym sports bag ... we will end up stressed as soon as we start the morning.

Promote the autonomy of your children when doing their homework. For example, ordering your closet to have everything at your fingertips, or adapting corners in the bathroom or kitchen.

If they are small it can also help them to see a mural with pictograms that indicate what activity should you do at all times, or prepare your clothes for school the night before, in order to facilitate the task of dressing alone.

In Babies and more How to create a Montessori environment in our home: furniture, ideas and tips to keep in mind

Make sure your children sleep the number of hours that correspond to them according to their age, and if they find it difficult to wake up in the morning, arm yourself with patience and apply some tricks that can help you soften the situation.
The screams do not work, and we have commented on numerous occasions. We know that it is difficult to remain calm when time is on us, but to shout, threaten or punish children for don't hurry up that we want you to giveNot only will it not have the desired effect but it can be counterproductive for them.

Therefore, it is preferable to get up early to have more time in the morning, but always ensuring your correct rest.

And even if we do what we do, there will always be really chaotic and exhausting mornings, try to enjoy time with your children, do not skip breakfast and opt whenever you can for a walk to school. Because when we relax and relativize, everything works better.

Photos | iStock