The school year is quickly approaching, and the time freedom and laid back vibes of summer will soon be expiring. Are you ready? Most importantly, are your kids ready? Having a morning routine in place can be one way to prepare and set your family up for success on the first day of school!
Morning routines can have many benefits for not only you as a parent, but for your children as well. Routines help build strong executive functioning skills, embedding the ability to plan out and manage time efficiently. Routines can also help to reduce stress and anxiety by providing a reliable and predictable structure.
Here are 3 tips for developing a successful morning routine!
Tip #1- PLAN AHEAD
I know this sounds silly, bear with me on this one. The more you can prepare the night before, the less running around and scrambling you’ll have in the morning. These can be super simple changes to your night time routine to help build a strong morning routine! For example, have your child pick out their outfit the night before. This takes out the guesswork and power struggle in the morning of “I don’t have anything to wear!” Another example would be if you pack a lunch/snack, pack it the night before. Better yet- you could pack/plan these on Sunday for your entire week!
Tip #2- TIME MATTERS
Time always plays a huge factor in how I plan out my day. With 3 kids, I have to know exactly how long it usually takes to get everyone dressed, fed, and out the door in order to make it anywhere at a certain time. This includes going potty before leaving and loading everyone in the car. I didn’t just magically guess that it will take 15 minutes to get from saying “Time to go!” to actually pulling out of the driveway. We have done multiple “test runs.” Start practicing your school routine the week before school starts. This will give you a whole week to get all the kinks out and determine exactly how much time is needed in the morning, and how long you can push the snooze button! 🙂
Tip #3- VISUALS & CHECKLISTS
This tip can be as simple or as complex as you would like it. My suggestion is to make it personalized to you and your family. Simply writing your routine on a sticky note, or typing one up to print. This is going to be the best way to nail down your routine and help your child see and predict the next steps in the morning taking the guesswork out of it. Are you getting ready at the same time they are? Print out a visual checklist they can follow independently!
The most important thing to remember when creating a successful morning routine is Consistency, Predictability, and FUN!
What does your morning routine look like? Leave a comment below if you have any other tips or tricks to help make your morning routine run smoothly! I’d love to hear it!
Be Silly. Be Honest. Be Kind. 💜
Rachel