With the start of the new school year just around the corner, one dad shares a must-have trick that helps him prepare his kids.
He used a popular tech tool in the hack that helped his seven-year-old develop a consistent routine.
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Reddit user Elguiri shared in a after his trick “that might make it a little easier to get out the door with the kids in the morning” before the start of the school year.
If you ever find yourself “repeating instructions 100 times with no results,” trying to get back to bed, or worrying about random situations where your kids “lose their shoes again,” then this might be for you.
ALEXA CHARTERS
He started this because his seven-year-old son has ADHD and walks to school on his own, without his parents, and of course he loves it.
Nine days out of ten, he said his son wakes up around 6 a.m.
His son has to be ready at 7:35 sharp when his best friend rings the doorbell so he can go for a walk with him.
Elguiri admitted he “can’t provide structure” because he also has to get his “non-morning person with ADHD issues” ready and prepare his five- and two-year-olds for their day.
He said that “Alexa routines” are a “lifesaver” and a “fun activity” in the morning.
Elguiri explained that these are routines that you set up for Alexa to execute until all of the actions you selected have been completed.
“She can sing, give weather reports, and do everything Alexa can, within a time frame you set,” he added.
He does this through the Amazon Alexa app on his phone.
To help, Elguiri has Alexa give him cues and structure.
He added that “Alexa provides a consistent, guided routine every day” and “takes the emotion out of what is normally an incredibly stressful process for everyone.”
MORNING ROUTINE
Elguiri also shared their family’s “exact routine” for getting him ready at 7:35 a.m.
If it’s a weekday at 7am, Alexa will start with a flashy announcement saying, “Good morning [son’s name]. Time to get ready for the day!”
She then waits 15 seconds before announcing the weather forecast or saying there’s a chance of rain, so he can pick out his outfit and get dressed for the day.
Alex will pause for another seven minutes before saying at 7:09 a.m., “It’s time for breakfast if you’re hungry.”
Normally he doesn’t want to do that, but then he gets the message that he has to get food after waking up his brothers and sisters.
At around 7:19 a.m. she would announce that it was “time to wash up, brush your teeth, and fix your hair.”
He said it normally takes him about seven minutes to do that before she announces his next task at 7:26 a.m.
Then Alexa announces that it’s “time to pack his things.”
“Do you have your lunch? Do you have your backpack? Do you have your note?” Elquiri wrote.
He explained that they prepare these things the night before and keep them in the designated place.
“I make sure that everything that is IMPORTANT gets done,” he added.
At 7:19 am, it is the last time his son checks in before leaving the house.
The father said she normally says, “Are you all set? Great job with the preparations. I hope you have a wonderful day.”
Finally, Alexa closes the song with her ‘walk off song’.
“It gives him a few minutes in case he falls behind. It’s like a race for him to get things done before she reaches the next step,” the Reddit user explained.
“And he goes to school,” Elguiri said.
Sometimes his son is a minute or two late and “maybe forget something,” but he added that his structure helps him stay on track every day.
