How the Morning Taxi Runs on Time

My biggest challenge in the morning was getting two toddlers to two schools on time. Two separate drop-offs — at first I cringed at the thought, now it’s just part of the routine. I don’t have the system perfected yet, but it has gotten easier.

The first thing I do when I wake up is make a pot of coffee for my husband and me. After pouring myself a very large cup, I am ready to get the girls up.   

I can add another title to my byline: working mom-taxi cab driver. On the positive side, I have become a better parallel parker on the city streets, and an overall better Philly driver  in general.   

The task of getting two girls bathed, dressed, fed and packed for school every morning made my head spin at times.

When I first started this routine, I felt like a drill sergeant. I would say, “Hurry up, we’re late” to my oldest too often. Now I compliment her when she dresses herself and moves along, by saying comments like, “We’ll be on time today,” or “We’re on schedule, keep going.”

What solutions or conclusions did I arrive at that other working moms could put to use?

• Get a good night’s sleep. I have overslept a few times if I stayed up later the night before. Even oversleeping by 10 minutes can put a dent in your schedule. This brings me to my  next point.
• Set your alarm clock 10 minutes earlier. Just getting up a little bit earlier can make a big difference in how the morning progresses. You’re less rushed and frazzled.
• Prepare the night before. Make sure the uniform or outfit is ready to go. You won’t have time to do laundry in the morning, but you will the night before if you need to.  
• Allow more time for traffic, roadblocks, chatty parents, etc. At first I thought I could allow 10 minutes to get to the first drop-off. This did not take into consideration being stuck in traffic or detours which could easily add on another 10 minutes. Also, if a parent was extra chatty that could delay my second drop-off.

When back home, I decompress and breathe a sigh of relief. I am now ready to face the workday--after I scarf down some breakfast for myself.

Erin Flynn Jay is a Philadelphia writer, public relations executive and mom of two toddler girls. Check out her blog, Mastering the Mommy Track.