Morning Routines

It seems like the first few weeks of school the kids are up and out of bed and we start off the school year with the mornings running smoothly.  Then a few weeks in, our morning schedule seems to fall apart. We try to prepare for our mornings, but let’s face it, some days it happens and some days it just doesn’t.  I want to share with you some of the ways that we get out the door in time without strangling each other on a good day! 

First, preparing for the morning should actually start the night before. 

Pick Out Clothes- Have your child lay out their clothes out on the floor including underwear, socks, hair accessories, and shoes.  Make sure their backpack is ready to go and their coat and gloves are lying next to it.

Gage's silly face was because he was trying to fart while I took his photo!
He did...then he started rolling on the floor laughing....Boys!!

Prepare Lunch- While cooking dinner, start planning what you are going to pack in the kid’s lunch boxes the next day.  Get them involved and start sticking items in the lunch box and place it in the fridge so you can just grab and go. Make your lunch for work too!

Family Calendar-We have a chalkboard in our kitchen that lists each day of the week along with the activities for each day.  While cooking dinner and again at breakfast we review the list for the day so that I can confirm that everyone knows what is going on.  I remind them that they need to be sure to have packed for anything that they need for after school events, etc. In another post, I will show you how to make a DIY Chalkboard Calendar.

Time to Wake Up-Use an alarm clock to get that sleepyhead out of bed! I used to wake up my kids myself but I had to stop getting myself ready to go constantly remind the kids to get up and out of bed! This leads to frustration pretty quickly.  So I bought alarm clocks for both kids…..you can also have your kids set their iPod or cell phone for an alarm if they respond to that better.  Let your child choose if they want music or a buzzer.  For some reason my son can make himself wake up when the alarm is music, but it if is a buzzer he sleeps like a baby right through the loud annoying sound!

Breakfast-Most days our breakfast menu includes cereal, toast, pop-tarts, or waffles.  Go ahead and set out their plates, bowls, or utensils on the counter the night before.  For a variety sometimes I throw in hard-boiled eggs (leftover from dinner) with pre-cooked bacon, yogurt, freezer breakfast casserole, or freezer breakfast burritos.  In another post, I will show you how to make and freeze these items ahead of time.

 A few other time-saving morning tips:

 

• TV is a distraction and causes us more chaos.

• Have a small water bottle and comb handy when your child wakes up with the Rooster-do.
• Wrap hair elastics around the end of a brush to keep them handy.
• Wake up before the kids to get your shower out of the way. Part of the reason things are hectic is because we have to also get ready for work.
• Lay out your work clothes and jewelry the night before.  Go ahead and iron them.
• Wash your hair every other day.  Use dry shampoo or curl it on the second day.  It saves you time and is better for your hair.

I know that my behavior can set the tone for the morning.  Some mornings my gentle reminders to get ready can turn into some major aggravation.  On these days I make a special point to try to wrap up the morning on a positive note during the car ride to school by reminding the kids that I love them and to have a good day at school!

What are some things that your family does to save time and frustration in the mornings?