Utter Chaos

After reading a post written by Wendy Mallins at Ready For Ten regarding the 'art' of achieving the morning routine with the kids, I realised how terrible I am at getting up in the mornings and organising everything!

My children are aged, 6, 5, 2.5 and 6 months. I get up about 7.45am. We leave the house usually around 8.30, but 8.40 at the very latest.

Now I leave out clean clothes; under ware, uniforms, daytime clothes for the babies etc in piles (1 pile per child)

All shoes are in the 'kids' basket in the porch and are put there the minute they arrive home from school.

I check book bags straight after school and complete any paperwork etc then.
Lunches are made the night before and left in fridge for the morning.

The 3 girls usually go downstairs about 7.30am. They put the TV on by themselves, and watch a cartoon or play on their DS or with toys.

I am upstairs at this time, either feeding the baby or sorting out clothes for myself.
I then go in the shower and am dressed and downstairs with all the kids for 8am.

I take requests for breakfast, usually some kind of cereal and toast with squash.
The 5 year old is usually dressed in uniform already, the 6 year old is either still in pj's or running around the lounge completely naked..

After many shouts at the 6year old to get dressed and turning the TV off, much to the disgust of fully dressed and fed 5year old, I start on the babies.

Both nappies need changing and both sets of clothes to go on. Then the hair...

Hair is a nightmare in my house. I have 3 girls who all like wearing their hair long.. The 5 year old is the 'princess' of the bunch and has to have everything girly, pretty and frilly. Out come co-ordinating bands and clips and requests for pig tails and twisty hair and 'curly like Aurora mummy'

The toddler hates having her hair brushed or put up or even having a clip to keep her fringe out of her eyes.

Buggy is put up and book bags, water bottles, lunch bags, rain macks and anything else they need for that day is loaded on.

Baby inevitably vomits over himself and usually me, after a mammoth session in his Jumperoo.

All 5 of us trek upstairs to the bathroom. Me to change out of vomit stricken clothes, baby to be cleaned up and re changed and the girls to brush teeth and wash hands and faces.

All bundle down stairs when I'm shouting for shoes to be put on and any toys being taken to be 'grabbed now, 'coz I'm not coming back for them'..

Baby is strapped into buggy, toddlers shoes are fastened and we all leave the house where I usually have to drag 6year old and toddler down the road to school.

I should get up earlier and give the kids more time in the mornings, right?
But were would the fun be in that????