Ways to Get Your Children Ready in the Morning

Weekday mornings are challenging for almost every parent. There are countless things to do but very limited time to do it. Morning routines are very important because these bring about good mood and eliminate stress for both children and parents (Spector, 2018). Since morning routines can influence your children’s mood for a whole day, parents need to set clear and structured morning routines. Here is what parents need to do to nail this and therefore help their children be ready for the day to come.

First, parents need to make sure that the children have a good sleep routine. A good sleep routine means the children have enough amount of sleep which becomes a habit. Dr. Jerry Bubrick, a senior clinical psychologist at The Child Mind Institute, recommends that the children get eight hours of sleeping time to avoid sleep deprivation. So, parents have to set the alarm for the same time every morning on weekdays or weekends.

Second, preparing the night before. Parents can minimize the number of things to do or the complexities of the tasks by preparing these the night before. Parents encourage the children to prepare their uniform a night before by putting these in the spot that is easy for them to reach. Assigning a box or shelf for school materials will help the children to get ready by themselves. They will not waste their time to look for bags, shoes, etc. Guiding and reminding the children to prepare their school bags with the books, notebooks, assignments, extra uniforms, etc. which they will need the next day will minimize the morning confusion.

Third, parents get up before kids. Parents need to set their alarms 15 to 30 minutes before the children. They need to get themselves ready first before waking up the kids. It helps the parents to manage the morning routine for the kids perfectly. Getting ready earlier can bring a no-rush morning atmosphere for both parents and children.

Fourth, make time for a healthy breakfast. Time for eating a healthy breakfast should be part of the morning routine. Coming to school hungry prevents the children from concentrating on their classroom activities and lessons since their minds tend to get distracted by their hunger pangs.

Establishing morning routines for the children is very important. It helps them be ready for the whole day’s activities at school. Any kind of morning routine will psychologically influence student’s readiness and confidence. A wise woman, my mother, always told us that the only way to get rid of a bad habit is by starting good habits. So, if you haven’t yet started or made a morning routine for your children, the best time to start is now.

References:

Spector, N. (2018). 12 tips to master your kid’s morning routine and eliminate stress. Retrieved from on 20 February 2019.