With children there is always something one can do in any single minute between other tasks. Talk and play with (aka educate) them. Move some toys or other things nearer to where they belong (my incremental house keeping strategy). Prepare some preparable items for lunch or school or trip or paperwork (thus moving them incrementally toward their place in time).
ADDED: To make this comparable to your story:
2:00 To son 2: “You have to leave for school in two minutes.”
1:57 To son 1: “Finish your breakfast and get ready for school.”
1:53: To son 3+4: “Get on my arms.” Scrambling.
1:45: Carrying them upstairs.
1:33: Handing son 3 some pieces of clothing from a chair where it was prepared earlier. “Please put these on”.
1:27: Changing diaper for son 4, helping him with body and pullover. Telling them where we will go today. Leaving them.
0:40: Taking the remaining clothes downstairs where they will be put on later when we leave the house.
0:30: To son 1: “Please get up and put your dish into the sink.” Nudging him to actually get up.
0:22: To son 2: “Have you got you lunchbox and bottle?”—“Yes”—“Put on your helmet.”
0:15: While waiting for him to finish picking up some matchbox cars and putting them into the “up” basket.
0:05: Hugging son 2: “Good bye and a happy day. See you in the evening.”
0:00: Door closes.
OK. Granted. Usually it will not be exactly two minutes but you get the idea. There are lots of routine tasks running concurrently interspersed with cognitive tasks like telling them what they have to expect soon and answering questions.
You obviously don’t have children.
With children there is always something one can do in any single minute between other tasks. Talk and play with (aka educate) them. Move some toys or other things nearer to where they belong (my incremental house keeping strategy). Prepare some preparable items for lunch or school or trip or paperwork (thus moving them incrementally toward their place in time).
ADDED: To make this comparable to your story:
2:00 To son 2: “You have to leave for school in two minutes.”
1:57 To son 1: “Finish your breakfast and get ready for school.”
1:53: To son 3+4: “Get on my arms.” Scrambling.
1:45: Carrying them upstairs.
1:33: Handing son 3 some pieces of clothing from a chair where it was prepared earlier. “Please put these on”.
1:27: Changing diaper for son 4, helping him with body and pullover. Telling them where we will go today. Leaving them.
0:40: Taking the remaining clothes downstairs where they will be put on later when we leave the house.
0:30: To son 1: “Please get up and put your dish into the sink.” Nudging him to actually get up.
0:22: To son 2: “Have you got you lunchbox and bottle?”—“Yes”—“Put on your helmet.”
0:15: While waiting for him to finish picking up some matchbox cars and putting them into the “up” basket.
0:05: Hugging son 2: “Good bye and a happy day. See you in the evening.”
0:00: Door closes.
OK. Granted. Usually it will not be exactly two minutes but you get the idea. There are lots of routine tasks running concurrently interspersed with cognitive tasks like telling them what they have to expect soon and answering questions.