The kids have just returned from their month-long trip to Kansas with relatives, and we're already doing battle to get back into a routine of getting out of the house in the morning.

Add to that with the Pop Warner season already under way, we have to leave the house in the morning with everything packed for practice that evening. And there's a lot of stuff for football and cheerleading to take with us every day.

This morning was the first time we returned to our routine of packing lunches and practice gear and getting to the sitter — a drive from Milton to Wilton — so I can get to work. Since the kids have been able to sleep in and bum around most mornings this summer, today proved a bit of a challenge. I didn't want to do it, but after several attempts using my Mrs. Nice Mommy voice (including a weird made-up song of what they needed to do to get ready), I had to resort to yelling.

I didn't want to do it, but there's only so many times you can sing about getting ready to an 8- and 10-year-old before it becomes completely ridiculous. Especially when you suddenly hear the baskeball bouncing in the driveway and look out to see a boy in his stocking feet who has yet to brush his teeth or pack his football gear!

Of course, once the yelling begins, I become the bad guy in the whole scenario -- the "meanest mom on the Earth," in fact.

So, I'm brainstorming on how to effectively get us into a morning routine that gets me to work without sending my blood pressure through the roof in the process. I'm open to any and all suggestions of how to avoid the yelling, but get them to understand that "we're leaving in 15 minutes" does not translate to "we've got all day, so why don't you go shoot some baskets in your clean, white socks for a while."

Help!