Do you have a good morning routine? We have fallen into one this year that seems to be a little frustrating at times. But just the other day my daughter was telling me she really likes our morning routine. As long as someone is liking it right?? Don’t get me wrong, our morning routing is pretty good at the moment. I just wish it involved the kids sleeping in a little more, mine wake up sometime around 6 am.
They key to a smooth morning routine is managing expectations, getting prepared the night before and rolling with the punches as they come. Wether you are getting a household up and ready to leave the house for school and work or have some time before preparing to leave there can be a lot to do depending on how many individual are present.
Each families morning routine will vary and flex as life changes. Hopefully some of our morning routines will help you think about yours and maybe give you a few ideas on how to tweak it when necessary. Hopefully you can get your routine to the point where you think it is great!
Win the Morning
Winning feels good and gets us pumped up to succeed at more tasks. I try to start off my mornings on the right foot, it helps if I get myself centered first. Nothing is worse than waking up to screaming, fighting or a grumpy child. If I am woken to bad attitudes it can certainly set my mood in the same direction. When I first awake I try to spend my first few minutes in a devotional or studying a scripture. Getting my mindset going in a positive way is the best way for me to “win the morning” and get me off to a good start.
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Early Risers
I usually aim to get up earlier than my kids. I set my alarm for 5:30 am on weekdays and sneak out of the house three days a week to the gym for an hour work out. The other two days I try to get a jump on blog writing while the house is quiet and free from distractions. Having a little time for myself before interacting with my children helps me feel productive and active.
Our children are early raisers and love to get up with the sun. This makes having a little time in the morning challenging. I have woken up early to leave for the gym to find them awake on the couch searching for the remote. We found that they were waking up earlier and earlier so they could control the remote or finding devices to browse You Tube for a few hours before the house woke up. This behavior was leading to grumpy and tired children. We have had to change their expectations of activities they could do first thing in the morning. We now keep remotes and devices out of reach so they really have nothing to do first thing besides play or eat. This has lead to them staying asleep longer, or at least in their rooms, until a more acceptable time. If you have an early riser try to limit what they have access to first thing in the morning so they aren’t as excited to get up and get some extra sleep.
Our Routine
We prepare for the mornings as much as we can the night before. We get outfits picked and played out so the kids can get dressed without needed help. Our daughter gets dressed first thing before heading down the stairs and the boys usually wait until after they have eaten. Either way, they know where to find their outfit and can dress by themselves. We also hide devices and tv remotes so the kids can wake up in the night or early and watch.
Typically our morning starts with mom (me) waking up early to do a devotional, then heading to the gym for an hour. Dad is home and half asleep but available for assistance if needed the kids are awake. When I get home from the gym there is usually one or two kiddos on the couch waiting for me. I get them breakfast and give them the remote so they can watch a show while eating. Then I get ready for the day. Dad is usually awake and heads downstairs to care for the dog and motivate the kids into their next steps to get ready for the day. When the kids are done eating they brush their teeth, get dressed (if needed) and brush hair. Currently we are doing school via distance learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic so we set up our school supplies and materials needed for class to finish up our routine. Before the pandemic we would load up and head off to school.
Making the Morning Easier
Sometimes mornings are just plain hard! You are trying to get ready for work, you may be thinking about a meeting, or event that day. Your kids need help brushing their teeth, finding matching socks and your husband can’t find his keys. You are being pulled in a bunch of directions while trying to get your hair done and pick a good outfit for the day.
How do you make mornings easier with kids? Here are a few tips.
- Start the night before. There are a few things you can do the night before to prepare for a good morning.
- We like to plan outfits and weather appropriate shoes the night before. Find your socks and shoes and make sure they are ready to go. If you need jackets or layers have them ready as well so clothing is a non issue morning of.
- Have backpacks, homework and lunch planned or packed. Running through a check list of materials needed for school each day can be stressful. Do it the night before when you aren’t in a time crunch and have time to double check that everything is set.
- Take a few minutes for yourself. Moments to think and collect myself is a must for me. If I am feeling a little overwhelmed in the morning I like to sit on my bed and relax for a few minutes. I will even hide in my closet in the quiet if needed. Having time to drink your coffee or watch the news in peace may be the boost you need to make a morning easier.
- Follow a routine. My kids like to know what to expect in most situations. Having a usual morning routine gives them a chance to complete tasks they know need done on their own. A routine also keeps me organized and sane.
- Stick with the clock. My kids know on weekdays we try to get them fed, dressed and ready for the day before 8 am when distance learning or school begins. They also know on the weekends they have more time to hang out in pj’s in front of the tv because we are not pressed for time. During the week I keep an eye on the clock to gauge when we are good on time or need to speed up a little. I let them know how with our schedule we are going along as well.
- Reward your child. Reward them for helping with the routine or doing tasks on their own. Positive rewards mean they will be more likely to comply and behave the next morning as well.
Make Morning Fun
The best way to beat stress is to have a little fun. If your mornings have been stressful recently here are some ideas to add a little fun to your mornings.
- Crank the music up and add a little dancing to your morning. Whenever I am upset or angry listening to a little music can help lift my mood. When mornings are stressful adding a little music can help keep the frustrations from building up. Play something fun and upbeat and get a little dancing in with your kids. Make something boring and routine fun and memorable.
- Add a little competition. Keep everyone motivated by making the morning to-do list a race to the finish line. Be careful with siblings that the competition doesn’t get ugly. Have them compete with themselves and not each other.
- Pretend you’re getting ready for an adventure instead of a usual day. What extra care would you take if you were spending the day out and didn’t know when you would return.
- Dangle a carrot or fun perk. If you could get out of the house 10 minutes earlier could you run through a drive thru donut place? How exciting would a fun treat be to yourself and your kiddos. If you could get out of the house an extra 15 minutes early could you stop at the park on the way to school and go down the slide a few times? Small rewards are great motivators and change up the norm as well.
- Make breakfast a surprise. We tend to eat the same few things for breakfast, cereal, toast, frozen waffles and pop tarts. Every now and then I will surprise the kids with bagels, French Toast or eggs. It is fun to see how small changes like breakfast make the morning fun.
Hopefully these ideas help you re-vamp your mornings and make the start of your day more pleasant. If you have any ideas or try any of our tips please share in the comments below!