Years ago when I was a mom to babies and toddlers, a friend with older, school-aged kids told me she loved when her kids had a break from school. WHAT?! I couldn’t fathom it. After several years straight of never having a quiet day, never having more than an hour to myself during which a child didn’t climb on me, try to reenter my uterus or need me to wipe him, I was baffled. She LIKED when her kids were home all day and didn’t have school?! But now that I have kids in school, I get it. One of the many reasons she enjoyed these days was because she got a break from the morning rush.
You know how it goes. “Get your shoes on! We are late! Did you brush your teeth?! I don’t know where your library books are. That’s not my responsibility. Can you please eat more breakfast? You cannot wear that. Because it’s 45 degrees outside. Yes, you need a coat. Yes, you do.”
And on. And on. Every morning. I get it, parents. I fight the battle daily too. But here are a few tips I’ve tried that have helped make our mornings go more smoothly.
1. Get up earlier.
I know, I know. The sound of that dreaded alarm is not a happy one. But getting the kids (and you) up 15-20 minutes earlier might make a huge difference. More time means less stress. And less stress means less yelling about shoes and breakfast and outfits and library books.
2. Pack lunches the night before.
This one is a huge time saver. If all your kids have to do come 8:05 is reach in the fridge and grab their lunch boxes, you’ve shaved 10 minutes off your morning routine!
3. Have the week’s lunch plan decided by Sunday night.
Speaking of lunches, do your kids buy hot lunch? Mine do two or three times per week. We look at the week’s choices Sunday night, choose which days are hot or cold lunch and write them down. This helps our morning routine run smoothly (and our evenings—if the following day is a hot lunch day, no lunch needs to be packed.)
4. Create a homework/calendar center to keep you organized.
We have three kids, so each one has his or her own marker board on which we write that child’s schedule for the week: practices, after-school activities, field trips, show and tell, etc. Also, under their marker boards are baskets for homework papers and hooks for backpacks and coats. Having each child maintain his or her own area keeps us organized and helps our mornings run smoothly, as all know where their belongings are and what’s in store for the day.
5. Pick out outfits the night before.
If you have a little girl like I do, the process of choosing an outfit might be an arduous one. Don’t save this for the morning before school! My daughter chooses every piece before she goes to bed—down to the socks, necklace and headband. This procedure is also helpful for times of the year like fall or spring when the temperature could be 50 degrees or 80. We check the next day’s weather so she chooses appropriate clothes. And we don’t fight in the morning about what she’s going to wear!
6. Organize backpacks the night before.
After school each day, I comb through backpacks, sign agendas, look through papers, etc. I immediately recycle what can be tossed and file away anything important. Is tomorrow library day? Find your library books TONIGHT and pack your backpack. Homework should be complete and neatly placed in the backpack BEFORE going to bed. This way, in the morning, your kids can grab their backpacks and go, and you are not searching the house for that permission slip or math packet.
7. Post a “Getting Ready for School” checklist.
My son is an early riser and usually has time to play a little iPad before school. But NOT until he gets dressed, brushes his teeth and has breakfast. Add whatever else you want to your list: Make beds, take medicine, feed the dog. If your child is efficient, he might get time to play and that can motivate him to move through the checklist faster.
8. Avoid breakfast battles!
Before school is not the time to fight with your child about trying a new recipe. That’s a good Saturday morning activity. Monday through Friday, have a simple breakfast ready to go that your child likes and can eat relatively quickly. Making sure their bellies are full with good nutrition before they start their day of learning is so important. Our choices are usually pretty simple: cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, cheese, fruit, etc.
9. Parents, get up first!
I know it’s tempting to hit snooze one more time, but if you have to be somewhere in the morning as well, you’ll find it helpful to get yourself ready first. Then you can devote that last half hour to making sure their teeth are brushed, their bellies are full and their shoes are on the right feet. Trying to get ready alongside your kids is a recipe for disaster that could lead to stressful mornings.
10. Put kids to bed early on school nights.
I have one early riser and two who like to sleep in. My daughter is a bear in the mornings and can be a challenge to drag out of bed. She’s only 6 years old, so it’s my job to ensure she has had enough sleep. We might let our kids stay up late on Friday and Saturday nights to watch a movie or hang out with friends, but on school nights, we declare, “Lights out!” at a reasonable time to avoid grumpy mornings.
And on mornings when you’ve tried everything and it still doesn’t go well, remember, winter break is coming up and they can hang out in pajamas all day!
Olathe mom Karen Johnson has three kids, ages 8, 6 and 4. She writes at The21stCenturySAHM.com.