PW invited parents from Bal Bharati Public School, Ludhiana to share their thoughts on how they beat the early morning rush

“Managing a plethora of domestic chores to get myself and the children ready in time for school and work can be hectic. However, with a little advance preparation and smart strategizing, my mornings have become smoother and stress-free. The same way in which I lay out my clothes, bag and ingredients for breakfast and lunch boxes the night before, my children —Eshaana (class IX) and Aahana (class III) — who follow an early to bed and early to rise routine, do the same. This way we avoid scrambling around in the morning. I strongly believe in the old adage morning shows the day!” — Roopali Lekhi, entrepreneur

“To conquer the morning rush, we start planning well ahead. This includes ensuring our children’s clothes/uniforms are clean and ironed, some food items are pre-cooked for their breakfast, and regular bedtime routines are maintained to start the next day positively and actively. I am an early riser by habit and can’t do without a morning walk, and strictly follow a things-to-do list for the next day. While I prepare lunch for the children – Gurman (class XI) and Gurnoor (college student) – my husband monitors traffic delays, the weather and current affairs” — Divjot Kaur,
homemaker

“A little preparation in advance like packing our bags, laying out our clothes, and setting up the breakfast table the night before work best to beat the morning rush hour.  Our children — Harsimrat (class X) and Harsimar (class VII) — who follow a good bedtime routine — set an early alarm to give us all a head start so we can avoid the stress of rushing and build in some buffer time for unexpected delays. Most important, beginning the morning on the right foot makes all the difference” — Sumanjeet Kaur, Government school teacher

“I believe teamwork and advance planning hold the key to restful nights and stress-free next morning. Over the years, my children — Tejas (class XI) and Aryan (college student) — have been trained to set multiple alarms, pack their bags and other essentials and share breakfast and lunch preferences with me the night before to save time in the kitchen. I have successfully taught them the value of TIME (T-things to do, I-identify priorities, M-make them happen, E-evaluate) management. Getting a head-start on their day is stress relieving” — Vandana Wasan, entrepreneur.