Beat the Morning Rush

It's the back-to-school scene every parent dreads: The alarm goes off, the kids yank their covers over their heads and refuse to budge. When they finally emerge, they spend forever trying to decide what to wear, fight over the bathroom and make their way at the speed of molasses to the breakfast table, where there is, of course, nothing acceptable to eat.

That was the kind of day we had in mind a few months back when we asked you to send your best ideas for easing the morning rush hour. Judging by the hundreds of impassioned letters we received, many of you clearly know firsthand what we were talking about.

Thankfully, your letters contained more than just horror stories. They were full of ingenious solutions, from games that spurred kids out of bed to schedules that prevented bathroom traffic jams to simple strategies that made clothing squabbles a thing of the past. On the next few pages, you'll find our favorites: 20 tried-and-true strategies that have helped other families, and will hopefully help yours, get off to a smooth start each morning.