How to: Master the Morning Routine

If your family has been having “one of those mornings” a little too often lately, it might be time to retool your before-school routine. Establishing just a couple of new habits with your child can make a big difference in their morning! Read below for tips to streamline your child’s routine so they head off to school calm, organized, and ready to have a great day.

Complete a checklist the night before

Great mornings start with organized evenings. Give your child a checklist of tasks to complete before bed that includes choosing their clothing and packing their backpack with everything they need for the next day. Complete all time-consuming and decision-making tasks the night before.

Unplug for Bedtime

Make sleep hygiene a priority by removing all screens from your child’s room at least an hour before bedtime. Work backward from their wake-up time to set a bedtime that ensures they get enough sleep. A good night’s sleep will boost your child’s morning mood, ability to focus, and overall health.

No Snoozing on School Days

Pressing the snooze button is a bad idea for kids (and parents) during the school week. Stick to a morning wake-up time and save the snooze button for a weekend treat.

Time it

Time is at a premium in the mornings. If your child has trouble with time management, set appropriate chunks of time to accomplish each morning task and use a timer to keep them on track.