School has been back in session for about two months and (long) gone are those lazy mornings of summer. The last couple of weeks have been crazy in our house now that My People have to be somewhere, dressed and fed, and (ideally) on time. We’ve made a lot of changes to our morning routine to create a calmer, less stressful morning send-off for everyone involved. I really don’t like having to rush my 1st grader around and send her out the door in a huff. It’s just not a good way to start the day.
So here a few simple changes that can be made to make your school mornings calmer and less stressful.
- Rise and Shine. Get up and get yourself ready before the kids get up. Insert big eye roll here, I know, I don’t like getting up either. But by getting up and getting myself dressed before my girls get up, I can completely focus on them when they arise. Bonus if you allow a little extra time in the morning to yourself. Have coffee, read, check Facebook, or just sit and enjoy the silence before the morning chaos. I have found that it is almost impossible to get myself ready, while also getting the kids ready, and also maintain a calm atmosphere.
- Do All Prep at Night. Pack lunches, gather homework, sign folders, find library books, roll up nap-mats, etc. Do at night whatever you need to do to get out the door easily in the morning. I like to line everything up by the door so everyone can just grab their bags on the way out.
- Pick Out Clothes AT NIGHT. Down to shoes and hair accessories. This even works with my almost 3 year old. Pick out clothes at night and have your kids get dressed as soon as they get up in the morning. You won’t burn time searching
for missing shoes or agonizing over which shirt to wear because you’ve already set everything out. (Note: my girls are messy eaters so they occasionally throw a light robe on over their clothes for breakfast!)
- Get Up. Get completely dressed. THEN eat. My girls don’t come to the breakfast table until they are completely dressed. They are slow eaters. This is where we spend the majority of their morning and if they are already dressed, they can take their time eating.
- Pre-plan Your Morning Routine. Estimate how much time you need to get everyone dressed and out the door…then add an extra 10 minutes. We all move at a slower pace in the mornings. Both of my girls love when they get to have time to play after they finish breakfast and brush their teeth. Even if they get 5 minutes to play Barbies or magnatiles, it’s a relaxing way for them to start their day.
- Create Independence. Include your kids in their routine by finding things they CAN do and give them that responsibility. Have them put on their clothes, get out their own breakfast dishes, brush their teeth, brush their hair, set the table, etc. When my girls are involved in the process they are more likely to happily participate.
- No T
V Time. I am not opposed to a little help from my dear friends in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse from time to time, however, on school mornings…there is no TV. We turn on music, chit-chat, they bring a few toys to the breakfast table, etc. I just have found that the TV slows us down. They were not happy adopters of this policy at first, but are used to it now and don’t ask for shows in the morning anymore.
I know not every morning is perfect and sometimes, despite my best efforts, we still end up rushing around. But these changes have helped ease our mornings quite a bit!
Do you have any tips for easy or stress free mornings? Please share them in the comments or on our Facebook page!
