As a parent, the thought of starting your day can be daunting. You know you have to get up early, but you still want to ensure you get enough sleep and give yourself time for a good breakfast. And then there are the kids!
Whether babies or school-aged children, their morning routine must also be consistent. Unfortunately, sticking to a routine isn’t always easy with little ones. If you’re struggling to start your family’s mornings on a positive note, here are some suggestions for a seamless morning routine with children that will help you feel more relaxed and prepared daily.
1. Prepare the Night Before
If you want to have an easy morning, prepare everything you need for the next day on the night before. Choose and lay out each child’s outfit for the morning. Get their shoes ready, and don’t forget to ensure their school bag is packed and ready to go.
Consider dressing your little one in baby pajamas that are easy to remove in the morning for quick outfit changes. No one wants to spend the entire morning dealing with buttons and snaps. Newborn gowns are a great choice for your smallest family members. Depending on your child’s age, simple PJs may enable them to get dressed independently, enabling you to focus on other parts of your family’s morning routine.
2. Establish a Consistent Wake-Up Time
While it may seem obvious, establishing a consistent wake-up time is the key to a smooth morning routine. You can’t have a seamless routine if your kids go to bed at different times every night or wake up at different times each day.
The best way to establish this consistency is by setting a specific bedtime and waking time for each family member — and sticking with it! This will help ensure that everyone gets enough sleep and feels rested upon waking. It also eliminates the worry of waking up without adequate time to prepare. While everyone loves sleeping in on the weekends, it’s wise to maintain a consistent wake-up time every day of the week.
3. Get Up Before Your Kids
Waking up simultaneously with your kids is a recipe for a rough morning. Get yourself in the habit of waking up a bit earlier to have some time to prepare for the day. This is especially crucial if your kids are young and need immediate attention upon waking.
Wake up a half hour to an hour before the kiddos, and enjoy your morning coffee or tea. Spend some time reading the paper or a good book and planning for the upcoming day. If possible, try doing a few stretches or some yoga poses before starting your morning routine to loosen up tight muscles and energize you for your day.
4. Encourage Age-Appropriate Independence
Your child’s ability to be self-sufficient will increase as they grow up, so starting them off on the right foot is important. This can be as simple as choosing their clothes in the morning or helping you clean up the kitchen after breakfast. You can give them more responsibilities as they get older, like preparing for school and making their own lunches.
Regardless of your child’s age, encouraging independence will help them as they grow and develop. Letting your kids do reasonable things for themselves instead of doing everything for them provides valuable life skills and will serve them well in adulthood.
5. Offer Choices within Reasonable Limits
Providing choice is a good way to prevent tantrums and help your child feel in control of their morning routine. It even allows them to think through the consequences of their decisions, which is an important skill for kids to develop. However, you must be careful about giving too many choices or making them too complex for young children. For example, asking a three-year-old what they want to wear could lead to inappropriate outfit choices.
A better approach would be to ask if they want to wear a blue or red shirt. You could also let them choose from a few weather-appropriate shoe options. Giving your child a say in their morning routine (within reason) builds confidence and can prevent toddler meltdowns.
6. Prepare Breakfast in Advance
Preparing your child’s breakfast in advance is one of the best ways to save time in the morning. It’s a great way to ensure that your kids eat healthy foods rather than sugary cereal every morning.
Many breakfast foods are easy to prepare in advance. Some — like overnight oatmeal — don’t need to be reheated in the morning. Be mindful of your family’s likes and dislikes, and make sure you have something for everyone.
7. Use a Timer to Help Kids Understand How Much Time Is Left
Set the timer for however long you think it will take you to get ready, and let your child know that when the timer goes off, it’s time for them to start getting dressed. This way, they’ll know exactly how much time they have before they need to start getting ready themselves.
When it’s time for your child to get dressed, set the timer again and let them know that they need to be finished when the alarm goes off. If they’re still not ready when the timer goes off, remind them it’s time for breakfast. It may take some practice, but a timer helps kids manage their time better.
8. Minimize Distractions
Distractions have no place during your morning routine. Turn off the TV and phones, and try to keep kids away from other distractions like toys or pets. The fewer distractions there are, the easier it will be to get everyone moving in the morning.
Conclusion
The key to a smooth morning routine is planning ahead. You can’t always predict what will happen, but you can get a head start by preparing for it. With these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a more peaceful morning with your kids. You may even start liking your morning routine instead of dreading it.
