With a little planning, you can reduce the number of temper tantrums, arguments and “I left my homework on the kitchen table” situations, and hopefully arrive at work a little less stressed.
Below are some things that work for my family. Real Simple offers a few more ideas on managing morning routines.
Pack all the essentials the night before (lunches, homework, snow clothes, work bags, etc.). If you’re not staying home the next day, pack everything you need for the next day the night before. Have the kids help make their lunches (even if it’s just packing their snacks and beverages), determine what the kids will need for school – gym shoes, snow clothes, homework – and have them put it in their bag. The same goes for parents.
Pick out clothes the night before. Check the weather forecast for the next day, tell your kids what’s appropriate for them to wear based on the weather and school activities. This will help eliminate discussions in the morning about what your kids can and cannot wear. This is a great tip for parents too.
Wake the kids up early with a morning ritual. Our girls do not like to get out of bed in the morning. To compensate for the 30 minutes it took them to get up, we started waking them up 30 minutes earlier, adjusting their bedtime accordingly. During this time, they can do whatever they want, but they know that at 6:30 a.m. it’s time to get moving. I wake them up by turning on their lamps, opening their blinds (when the sun is out), and we give them a glass of milk (my girls LOVE milk) and their vitamins. We recently started listening to their favorite songs while they get ready. It’s a great motivator for them and puts them in a better mood.
One final check. Before my oldest daughter and I head out the door, we run down the list of all the things she and I need for the day. I wish I would have started doing this sooner; it would have saved me several trips back home because she forgot her homework on the kitchen table!
What works for your family? How do you manage your morning routine?
I love this post! I do not have any children (yet) but I know for a fact my mother used to do some of these things while I was growing up! Our lunches were always packed the night before which always help to save time in the morning.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips!!
Great post! My child is older now but I can totally relate to the hectic mornings. When he was in high school he seemed to be late everyday LOL! I look back now and smile but some of those mornings were pretty crazy! He is in college now and is a little better with his time management. Also Real Simple is a great magazine for busy parents!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips. I am a father of two boys with another one on the way. Every morning is a nonstop shuffle to get everyone where they need to get to. A huge thank you to my wife who makes it all happen.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! Totally agree with the lunches and picking out the clothes the night before.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any kids but I can only imagine how crazy a mothers mornings truly are. I'll stick with my dogs for now =)
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips and a well thought out post. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy wife only worked part time when our children were small. I wish I had this for a reference, when it was my turn to get the kids off to school. It might have neutralized some of my wife's funniest stories about what the kids did on my watch.
ReplyDeleteQuote from an Anonymous frazzled Dad.
"Of course I let her dig the Little Mermaid tee shirt out of the dirty clothes hamper, What did you expect me to do, she was crying."
I have started a reminder list for my teen son is has really made a difference thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have started a reminder list for my teen son is has really made a difference thanks.
ReplyDelete