Mornings are often hectic and crazy, meaning you end up feeling frazzled before your day has even really begun! Getting everyone out the door and to work or school is the objective, but tantrums (mostly!) and lost shoes can be avoided with a bit of preparation.
Here are some tips to improve your morning routine as a family to help it run as smoothly as possible.
Plan the night before
Although you may be tired in the evenings, taking ten minutes to get things organised can help immensely in the morning. You can help your kids lay out their clothes for the next day, ensuring everything is where it should be. It may also be beneficial if the adults in the household do the same!
Mealtimes can be chaotic so preparing packed lunches the night before can ease the stress. Pop the lunchboxes in the fridge, ready to put into backpacks before you all leave in the morning.
Create a simple morning routine
Routine is key in the morning. Start by setting realistic alarms for everyone to be up by. Try to keep them reasonable – too early or too late will result in grumpy or stressed family members.
Every family works differently but try to keep the same order of steps each day. You could start by getting dressed and follow up with breakfast. Units with younger kids might want to swap these around, however, to avoid breakfast stains on school uniforms!
If your little ones struggle in the mornings, consider making a visual flow chart of the routine you settle on. This helps to promote independence as well as keeping things the same each day.
Prioritise self-care
Being a parent means it can be difficult to find time for yourself. You may want to wake up 15 minutes earlier than the rest of your family to enjoy your favourite coffee and a moment of quiet.
Once you are fully awake, try to incorporate 5 or 10 minutes of meditation, stretching or reflection. This can help to set you up positively for the day and help you be resilient to the morning madness.
Involve the kids
If all else fails, involve your kids where you can. It is all well and good being a super-parent, but sometimes kids need to help to get things done when time is against you.
Older kids can handle simple tasks such as dressing themselves or packing lunches. Even little kids can join in by finding school shoes or locating PE kits. You could create a wipe-clean task chart so your kids can check off when they have completed a task, making it easy for you to check their progress at a glance.
