Nurse S-J writes…
“In my household it takes military level operations to ensure we all get out of the house on time and to the right places, especially when those clocks change. School, work, nursery… Some days are easier than others and others we do what we can to just survive! On our victorious days we celebrate with tea waiting for us in the slow cooker and a leisurely, but cold, walk on the beach whilst the boys play PokemonGo, on the ‘others’ we celebrate when bedtime for all comes around and I remind myself and the family of my simple yet effective tool: K.I.P.P.
This simple reminder tells us that, alas, we are all human, no matter what age, we are still adapting, learning and growing into a new person each and every day.
So, remember K.I.P.P…
Kindness: Be kind to yourself! Remember you are doing the best you can, and tomorrow is another day. Learn from what went wrong and adapt tomorrows plan. Forgot your coat, have it ready the next morning. Plan for the weather or make alternative arrangements, which ever it is, know it is ok… you have got it under control.
Independence: Instil that independence. Where possible, let folks get ready independently, get uniforms ready the night before – put them somewhere obvious like a uniform box. Keep all school equipment in the same place so you can grab and go with ease. Print off a school timetable – use pictures or words – whatever suits as a mental reminder to what you’re doing that day.
Patience: And… breathe. It takes time to get use to the shorter days and longer nights. Give yourself time to adapt to the new routine, whether that is school drop-off, a new meeting point to see your friends or a new club to attend. It will come.
Perseverance: If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Practice is everything, from practice we learn what needs to be adapted to make something work, we can fine tune the plan to get to the desired outcome. Struggle to get up in time? Try setting your alarm clock a little earlier. If that doesn’t work, try preparing the night before and waking up a little later. Find what works for you. There is no ‘one size fits all’, but if you persevere you will, undoubtedly, in the end find a routine that works for you.
So, remember, before you throw in the towel of defeat… to K.I.P.P., as, after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day!”
