Orgainsing events and days out with a large bunch of children-do' s and don'ts

We are pretty famed for being late.

Family holidays

This irritates me. When I was single I was never late, instilled by my mother as bad trait.

Then I met my husband. He wasn't exactly late, but he did leave at the last minute often fussing before making us late.

Now we have all the children,

No mater how hard we try someone always needs the toilet, has forgotten something, cannot find something, needs to get something....just as we are about to leave.

There are , however some things we do to make days out slightly easier and the eventuality of getting out the door before lunchtime manageable!

Days out

1. Each child has a box of things for the car under their seat. This way you do not spend hours searching for things. Some children have to share. They take responsibility for cleaning this out, organising it and keeping it safe.

2. Charge up all batteries and electric devices well in advance and keep these from being played with just before hand.

3. By in bulk juice drinks and snack and keep these in the car if you can. This way if we decide to do something spontaneously we don't have to spend a fortune.

4. Like wise keep a spare change bag, nappies, baby wipes and anything else baby needs in the car as well so theres no panic if you go further than you anticipated.

5.Make sure you make lunches and get everything organised THE NIGHT BEFORE! Having a large family this is the key to getting out the door. It is so much easier to think straight at night, by yourself and get everything packed logically than to try to remember everything when being hounded by 8 or 9 voices the next day.

6. Get children to lay out al their clothes the night before. In the case of teenagers this is vital, as invariably the outfit they want cannot be found/ in the wash /ironing. There's nothing more infuriating when you want to get out to hear 'but I have NOTHING TO WEAR!".

Weddings

7. Keep a set or two of toys in near reach that can just be loaded. Home Bargains is get for cheap games and things. We have a zipped bag in the shed full of buckets and spades and seaside toys, and another with badminton rackets, balls, frisbees and outdoors games. These can be got in a matter of seconds and the children know not to use them at other times.

8. When the children were small we collected all their old magazines, and anyone else's and ring bound these into books.One had stories, and another puzzles, one had fashion, one had bubble stories etc. By the time you use them the children had forgotten them and they were like new. many a car journey has been spent absorbed in these. Infact we still have them and use them with Mair now. Pretty good use out of an expensive comic!

9. For longer journeys by a few little things to entertain the children when they start to' loose it'. Again Home Bargains is great. Funny little sweets that whistle (good job the driver has earphone on) and puzzle books, and little toys. This breaks the monotony and gives them something new to play with. As we often drive for 3 or four days I collect a stock of these over the year to produce on the journey there and the journey back (don't hand them all out on the way there, remember you have to get home again).

10. Keep some medicines safely in the car. I keep sachets of calpol and for the older girls aspirins and  paracetamol. We also have a well filled first aid kit for the car. Living in europe this is a regulation that every car must have. We have maintained this here. Sting repellants and creams are always well used as are plasters! I also keep a travel sewing kit incase something falls off or an accident happens.

Longer trips 

Whilst you cannot prepare for every eventuality, these things do help us to get out the door at a reasonable time, and enjoy a good day out with our family.

Good preparation is always the key!