School is coming guys! No matter if your children are homeschooled or in a public or private school, we ALL need morning routines to make sure things get done and everyone gets where they need to be on time! It kind of makes me sad when people act annoyed about going back to school. Summer is nice, but it’s kind of weird, right? Sometimes the long stretch of being out of routine makes the kids more cranky, I have to put in more work to keep everything flowing smoothly, and I feel like there are loooong stretches of time I have to fill to keep everyone busy, but not over stimulated. Ever feel like that?
Going back to school means seeing friends again. It’s a fresh start and time to bust out the planners again. So while I am a little sad to be losing some of my free time, I’m looking forward to it.
So let’s start with the morning. Ugh. The morning. The combination of the need to be out the door at a certain time and the complete inability for anyone to find a matching pair of shoes can be a recipe for starting off your day with nagging, yelling, and bad attitudes. Nobody wants that! Below are my tips for keeping everyone on schedule, as well as an editable Google Doc for you to create schedules for you and your children.
1. Create a re-usable checklist to reference
Older children can just use text. If you have pre-readers, include visual cues or a combination of both. You can see an example of each below.
I really like giving kids time frames to accomplish each task. If you just give them a list of tasks to accomplish by a set end time, they will lose track of time and get distracted. If your child can’t tell time yet, you can use this as an opportunity to learn to tell digital time. Another option would be to set timers for each time period. Even something as simple as an egg timer could be operated by a preschooler.
Click here to get your copy of a visual morning routine and here for a copy of a morning routine with text.
2. They need more help than you think
As we all know, the quickest path to frustration is when your expectation and reality don’t match up. Even if we think our children should be able to get ready for the day independently by using a checklist, if it’s consistently not happening–they need more support.
Some ways to ensure they are successful could be:
- Laying out their clothes the night before
- Making sure they can easily access breakfast
- Putting backpack, coat, and shoes by the door they will exit in the morning
By paying attention to what tends to cause you frustration, you can then pinpoint what they need more help with. If it’s always a battle to remember to brush their teeth, then you can always make a point to have them brush their teeth in your bathroom while you get ready. The small things end up causing big arguments when we’re pressed for time. Don’t expect to toss them a list to solve all your morning woes. They still need help!
3. Always allot extra time
This is especially true in the beginning. If you need to leave your house at 7:00 am, don’t make your time frames on your checklist last until 7:00. You could try making their last time frame end at 6:45 then allow them to have some screen time (with shoes and backpack on!) while they wait for you to finish up. Another idea I use a lot is to have my kids go ahead and get in the car to wait for me. Find what works for you. It’s kind of like when you are prepping to leave for a road trip. You might WANT to leave at a certain time, but without a firm plan and some time cushion, it’s very hard to get out the door at that time.
4. Consider rewards
I’m not a fan of giving rewards for every little thing. But getting your day started smoothly and calmly and being on time are major factors in how the rest of your day goes. I don’t think that’s a little thing! If the checklist alone isn’t enough motivation, a short term plan of rewards could provide enough incentive for them to stick to the plan long enough to make it a habit. Depending on your children’s personalities and needs, the reward could be something they get every morning, like screen time if they’re ready by a certain time.
If they’re ready for something longer term, you could offer a treat on Friday if they are able to consistently follow their checklist and be on time 4 or 5 days out of the week. Sticker charts and similar rewards might be enough for a kid who loves seeing a visual of their progress on this new habit. You know your child best so experiment and see what sticks!
5. Sibling rivalry
The last aspect to consider is the ever present problem of siblings not getting along! You might be lucky and not have to deal with this problem at all in your morning routine–if so I’m so jealous! If you do, here’s a few ideas.
- Make getting along with siblings part of earning their reward i.e. they have to get everything done on the list AND no arguments with siblings to earn their prize
- Have them get ready separately. My boys share a bedroom and bathroom so this sometimes causes problems. If they’re really struggling, I bring the younger one in my room to get ready and give them both a break from each other.
- Flip flop their schedules. While one child (or more if you have a big family) is eating breakfast, the other gets dressed and brushes their teeth. This way they have more space and if you have one who is super grouchy early in the morning they aren’t spreading their grumpiness to everyone else.
I hope these ideas are enough to get your gears turning to find ways to make your morning routines smooth and predictable. Good mornings are a segue to great days!