BUSY mum-of-two, Alexandra Kremer 33, is always on the hunt for time-saving hacks when looking after her two sons, Rugus, four, and Eden, two.
The birth and parenting specialist has employed a variety of tricks to make the battle of parenting slightly less stressful.
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From getting rid of baths, putting sprinkles in her children’s medicine and encouraging her kids to clean, Alexandra shares her best tips to help other confused mums save valuable time.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous Digital, Alexandra reveals her time-saving tips…
I’ve always been an organised, efficient person but after having my first son, Rufus, I was overwhelmed by the amount of information out there.
Everyone it seemed had a view of what I should or shouldn’t do when it came to food, playtime or sleep.
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Then just four months after my second son, Eden, now 2, was born, his father and I split up and I ended up having to learn very quickly how to deal with life and two very young kids.
I ended up doing my own research and changed career from being a manager of a gym and private members’ club to a parenting and birth specialist, helping confused parents like myself.
One of the things I quickly learned as a single parent of two young children was to be very forward thinking.
Every night after the boys had gone to sleep, I’d get their clothes ready for the morning, pack their bags and get their milk bottles ready or lay out the breakfast pots, even pouring out the cereal into bowls so they were ready in the morning to just add milk.
No baths saves lots of time
I also got rid of bath time. It could take over half an hour to get them into the bath, then another half an hour to get them out so I just cut out baths altogether and shoved them in the shower.
It meant there were no arguments over bath toys, having to wait for all the water to drain or any worry that my youngest will eat the bubbles again.
Alexandra Kremer, 33
It meant there were no arguments over bath toys, having to wait for all the water to drain or any worry that my youngest will eat the bubbles again.
Rufus soon loved the autonomy of having to wash himself while I dealt with Eden and we were literally in and out after seven minutes.
After putting on their pyjamas and doing teeth, that was it: bedtime routine done.
I’d get in their reading time in the car by listening to audio books while chauffeuring them around.
Alexa’s also very helpful in the mornings for barking orders at us and keeping us on time.
I set up routines for us in the morning so the kids and I know what’s coming next – like a warning that we need to leave for the school run!
Sprinkles helps the medicine go down
I’ve developed lots of other nifty tricks over the years to keep things running smoothly.
It’s always been a nightmare giving medicine to my youngest when he was ill so I put the multi-coloured sprinkles or silvery fairy dust that’s used to decorate cakes on the liquid on the spoon and it works wonders.
Alexandra Kremer, 33
It’s always been a nightmare giving medicine to my youngest when he was ill so I put the multi-coloured sprinkles or silvery fairy dust that’s used to decorate cakes on the liquid on the spoon and it works wonders.
I put shower caps on the wheels of the pram too after a muddy dog walk to stop mud being bought into the house and I also get the kids to help me with the cleaning.
Modeling behaviour is a huge part of how children learn so I give them their own cleaning tools – a small handheld hoover and cloth and they vacuum when I vacuum and dust when I dust.
Rufus still loves wiping the skirting boards!
I’d never expect them to actually clean but it kept them entertained while I got on with it and they’ve learnt a new skill.
ALEXANDRA’S TIME-SAVING TIPS
PREPARE FOR THE MORNING – Every night, Alexandra gets her children’s clothes ready, packs their bags and even prepares their breakfast
NO MORE BATH TIME – To save time Alexandra got rid of bath time and lets her oldest son, 4, wash himself
MEDICINE HACK – Alexandra puts spinrkles or fairy dust on her children’s medicine spoon – it works wonders
CLEANING – The kids help Alexandra with the cleaning, Rufus loves wiping the skirting boards!
ORGANISE THE TROLLY – Alexandra puts food in groups in the trolley to save time unpacking at home
SNACK DRAWER – A child-high healthy snack drawer stops the kids bothering Alexandra
SHELL PETROL STATION APP – Alexandra no longer has to drag the kids into the petrol station
I’m also very precise and organised about shopping.
My ex and I once had a marriage counselling session about the way I packed the supermarket shopping because I was always so particular about what should go where.
It’s very helpful now as a mum though.
I keep the food in groups in the trolley then place them on the belt in order of weight and group type, for example, fridge and fresh food together so that they get packed into the right bags and are easy to unpack when we get home and there’s no more running round the kitchen with everything emptied into the sides.
Keep apps and healthy snacks to hand
I have a healthy snack drawer that’s child height and keeps things like fruit, veg and rice cakes so if the kids are hungry (which they always are) they can just help themselves without having to bother me.
I know they’re eating well, plus it stops me jumping up and down constantly while trying to do chores or catch up on work emails.
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I’ve downloaded the Shell petrol station app so I can pay from the comfort of my car without having to drag the kids into the petrol station, which ends up in chaos and takes so much time.
It’s handy I can set a spending limit too and the pump will only dispense petrol up to the limit.
Luckily, my partner is very on board with the way I do things because messiness and chaos is a relationship deal breaker for me!
