1) plan ahead, and
2) train my wife/kids to move with a purpose.
This 2nd one will sound mean or silly, but it's the God's honest truth. And since becoming adults, my kids have noticed what a difference it's made in their lives. They learned to get more done in less time than just about anyone they know that is their age.
When they were young, I would make sure we were on time and that when I said it was time to go, it was time to go. They learned early that I wasn't joking and I would leave them if they took too long to get ready or get in the car, etc. This is something I learned from my mother (when you raise 5 kids by yourself, you cannot afford to have them waste your time) - the hard way. I wasn't quite as hard on my kids but they learned nonetheless.
It's incredible to me how long it takes some families to simply use the restroom at a convenience store, or go through a drive-through window, or get ready for church or get in and out of a Wal-mart. Total lack of focus and discipline in most families. Not in ours. This focus and discipline allowed them to get more done in a day while in school which led to better grades and more time for activities. That led to scholarships and in the case of my son - acceptance to the Air Force Academy. He told me when he was in the Corps at A&M that he was glad our house was run the way it was because he had no problem adjusting to corps life and could not believe how hard some of the cadets were making life for themselves by simply being late and unprepared.
When you have a minute, look up the episode of "Everybody loves Raymond" about "A.I.S." It's one of the best TV episodes of all time, and the term "A.I.S." is used around my house all the time now.
Anyway, sorry for the long winded answer, but that's the best I've got.
Move with a purpose. I wish more people did.
2) train my wife/kids to move with a purpose.
This 2nd one will sound mean or silly, but it's the God's honest truth. And since becoming adults, my kids have noticed what a difference it's made in their lives. They learned to get more done in less time than just about anyone they know that is their age.
When they were young, I would make sure we were on time and that when I said it was time to go, it was time to go. They learned early that I wasn't joking and I would leave them if they took too long to get ready or get in the car, etc. This is something I learned from my mother (when you raise 5 kids by yourself, you cannot afford to have them waste your time) - the hard way. I wasn't quite as hard on my kids but they learned nonetheless.
It's incredible to me how long it takes some families to simply use the restroom at a convenience store, or go through a drive-through window, or get ready for church or get in and out of a Wal-mart. Total lack of focus and discipline in most families. Not in ours. This focus and discipline allowed them to get more done in a day while in school which led to better grades and more time for activities. That led to scholarships and in the case of my son - acceptance to the Air Force Academy. He told me when he was in the Corps at A&M that he was glad our house was run the way it was because he had no problem adjusting to corps life and could not believe how hard some of the cadets were making life for themselves by simply being late and unprepared.
When you have a minute, look up the episode of "Everybody loves Raymond" about "A.I.S." It's one of the best TV episodes of all time, and the term "A.I.S." is used around my house all the time now.
Anyway, sorry for the long winded answer, but that's the best I've got.
Move with a purpose. I wish more people did.
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