Perfect your back to school morning routine
It’s the last week of August and that can only mean one thing-it’s nearly time for the kids to go back to school! Households everywhere are divided. The kids sulk as you make them put down what they’re playing with and try on their new uniforms, and parents secretly jump for joy at the prospect of getting some peace and quiet around the house again.
But as the morning of the first day back dawns, tensions can run high; tired children and rushed adults are a recipe for disaster. With stress levels high there’ll probably be tears and tantrums, the kids are more likely to be late for school or forget something, and if your own morning doesn’t go well chances are the rest of your day will be a nightmare too.
The key is to create a morning routine that’s easy for everyone, so that your time can be as stress free as possible, and you can start the day in a more positive way. We’ve compiled some top tips for how to make your mornings run as smooth and hassle free as possible for both adults and children alike. By making small changes to stressful mornings, you’ll notice a difference in your mood for the rest of the day too.
Prepare the night before
Give yourself more time in the morning by preparing anything you can the night before.
• Make up the packed lunches before bed and leave them in the fridge overnight.
• Check the kid’s school bags, making sure that any paper work they’ll need is in there, and all their homework is too. Lay them by the door so that you can pop the lunches into them in the morning and pick them up last thing before you leave.
• Plan and lay out your outfit for the next day, and have your kids do the same. Get them to neatly lay out their school uniform as a part of their bedtime routine so that it’s ready for them when they wake up.
• Plan breakfasts ahead of time and incorporate it into your weekly shopping. Make sure your children know what’s for breakfast on certain days to avoid any last minute issues with fussy eaters!
Make your mornings happier
Get ready in good time in the morning, so that you’re not stressed or frantically rushing around when everyone else gets up.
If you’re in a bad mood, chances are the rest of the family will notice and it will get them flustered too. Instead, try and get ready before the kids are up, and have a few minutes to yourself to relax and get ready for the morning rush.
• Chat to the family as they have their breakfast, ask what they’re going to be doing at school, or what they want to do later that evening when they get home- anything to get them looking forward to the rest of the day.
• Supervise them to make sure that they’re getting ready in good time, but don’t rush them or get frustrated- the last thing you want is a tantrum ten minutes before you’re due to leave!
• Avoid distractions like the TV in the morning. Perhaps allow the kids to have it on for ten minutes when they wake up, if your routine allows time for that, or while they’re having breakfast. But if you can manage it, keep it switched off all together!
• Instead, keep them entertained with the radio, or music that they love and can sing along to- guaranteed to wake them up and get them smiling!
Create a checklist for your children to fill out
Depending on the age of your children, a checklist that they can tick off is a great way to get them motivated in the morning. They’ll prefer the consistency of a set routine, and the more they follow the checklist, the more it will become a natural part of their routine as they grow up.
• Lay it out so that there’s a clear time allocation next to every task, and an easy to remember and logical order for the tasks to be carried out.
• Get the children to draw pictures on it and decorate it, and explain to them what it is and what it means for them.
• Laminate it and stick it on the fridge- that way they can tick off what they’ve done as they go along with a dry-erase marker and it can be wiped clean after every morning.
• Give yourself plenty of time before you leave the house, as this is the point when someone’s most likely to realise that they’ve forgotten something, or when you might have an issue with children who are unwilling to get out of the door!
By staying calm and structuring your mornings so that everyone knows what time they need to be ready and out of the house, you’ll avoid a whole lot of arguments and stress. The kids will get to school on time, and you’re guaranteed to have a much more successful day if your morning isn’t spent in a frantic rush.
Implement a simple routine that your kids can realistically follow, and there’ll be a much higher chance of getting out of the door and on the way with a smile on everyone’s face!
