You don’t have to start every school day with chaos.
There are a few simple tips that can help you create a calm morning, even if
you aren’t a morning person. These four factors need to be controlled so they
don’t cause problems. Once they are tamed, both children and parents will
actually enjoy school day mornings, instead of dreading them.
The first solution is simple and takes only a few
minutes. Designate a time one hour before bedtime to organize clothing and
backpacks. Every child and adult, (it’s always smart to set a good example)
should pick out the clothing they intend to wear the next day. If possible, lay
it out on a chair or dresser. If it’s too bulky, like a business suit, hang it
from a hook in the closet or on the back of the bedroom door. This habit speeds
up mornings because there are no decisions to be made. They were made the night
before. An extra benefit from doing this is in case of a late night emergency.
One night a few years ago, my neighbor’s condo was on fire, and the building was
evacuated. I was the only one wearing shoes, socks, and a coat when we gathered
downstairs. I had the only cell phone too. It was quick and easy for me to grab
what I needed on my way out. Be sure backpacks and briefcases are fully loaded
with the next day’s important papers and placed near the door usually used when
leaving in the morning.
A second morning task can also be completed the evening
before. When preparing dinner, put school lunches together. You’re in the
kitchen anyway. Buy a set of plastic containers with dividers to hold school
lunches (they’re fine for taking to work too). When you chop vegetables for
dinner, place some of them in one section of each container. Do the same for other foods being handled. If
you have chicken for dinner, chicken sandwiches can be prepped for lunch. If
you top baked potatoes with cheese, cut up some cubes for lunch. The
berries you add to dessert can go into another spot in the containers. By the
time dinner is served, lunch containers will be full and stacked in the fridge.
Just before bed, set the table for breakfast. This is a
simple task which can be assigned to a school aged child. While this is
happening, an older child or parent can prep any foods that can be made in
advance, helping the morning run more smoothly. A simple, tasty and healthy
breakfast is oatmeal, topped with nuts and berries. If a large batch of oatmeal
is cooked on the weekend, it can be divided into portions after it has cooled,
packed in waxed paper and frozen in plastic containers or bags. An even easier
method is to buy individual servings of frozen oatmeal. This is much more
expensive, but very convenient. Many other foods can be made well in advance
which will also shorten cooking time in the morning. Once this becomes a habit,
it’s almost mindless, but makes for a calm, pleasant morning for all.
The last routine is actually the most important, but
unless started early in life, is a little difficult to turn into a habit. This
is setting a reasonable bedtime for each family member based on age. This chart
by Sleep Aid Resource is very handy. http://www.sleepaidresource.com/sleep-chart.html.
Decide what time each family member needs to get up in the morning (leaving
time for breakfast) and count backwards. This is the time that individual needs to
go to sleep each night, even on weekends or holidays. The body
performs best when this practice is established. It also makes people less
grumpy in the morning.
When these four suggestions are followed, school/work
day mornings are less rushed and more pleasant. Pick one at a time, establish the
routine and then tackle another. Once all four are habits, you’ll see mornings
are much easier on every family member.
For more information, you’ll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.
You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com
Photo credit: Google Images
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