Most days, I wish I had more than two arms. Don’t we all? Mothers are constantly holding hands, holding bags, holding sippy cups, hauling carriers to the car. It almost gets overwhelming to leave the house with the number of items we have to take with us, just to get out the door.
I found myself “always running late” and I was sick of it. No matter how much earlier I woke up, it didn’t make a difference. I was always late. And then I FINALLY figured it out, after trial and error. And here is what I found.
Get yourself completely ready first:
Before you get your kids ready, get yourself 100 percent ready to go. I am talking about getting dressed, hair, teeth, using the restroom, getting yourself a snack, packing yourself a snack if necessary, water bottle, everything. When you are 100 percent ready, start packing the diaper bag.
Backpack Diaper Bags are a life saver:
Straps, straps, straps. Over both shoulders is a must! This frees both of your hands, and your hip area so you have room to carry lots more things. I cannot tell you enough, how much I have loved my diaper backpack from Itzy Ritzy. It is such a game changer. Pack your diaper so it is completely ready as well. Pack snacks, water bottle, milk bottles, extra clothes, sun screen: whatever you need! Make sure it is ready to go.
My reasoning for getting yourself ready and the diaper bag ready is so that you can move onto your kids, and once they are ready, you can walk out the door. They won’t be waiting around, and you won’t be chasing them after they are ready.
Get the Kids Ready to Go
Your last step for a successful on time departure is getting the kids 100 percent ready. I like to get the youngest kid ready first, and make my way up to the oldest. However, if you feel like your oldest is more challenging to get ready, I would go with them first. Change their diaper, get them dressed, do their hair, brush their teeth, have them use the restroom, and ask if they need a snack or some water before we load them in the car. Once all your kids are ready to go, immediately pile them into the car. You have your diaper backpack, so both hands should be free. You can carry the littlest, hold the older one’s hand, and even have another one to hold on to the straps of your bag.
If you need to take trips out to the car, then do it! Load the diaper bag, your library books, your Goodwill items, and then go back and get your kids.
This system has worked for me, and I have not been late in months! Good luck mamas, and use those two arms to the best of your ability!
For information about backpack diaper bags, visit Diaper Back Pack.
