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Good morning, parents! We all know that the morning rush before school can be a challenge, especially when it comes to kids. They wake up ready to start at a million miles per hour whilst we slump over the kettle waiting for the energy from a morning coffee. Regardless of their immediate energy, they still can’t seem to manage to find their school bag and get their shoes on in time.

Why is that the most frustrating thing?!

However, establishing a simple morning routine can help everyone start the day off on the right foot. Spend less time telling your kids where their bags, lunchboxes and school shoes are, and more time getting that morning coffee into you.

Here are some ideas to make your mornings easier and smoother.

1. Set a Routine and Stick to It

Create a routine that works for your family and establish it early on. Stick with it as much as possible, even on weekends, to help your children develop good habits. Expecting your child to know what is supposed to happen next is impossible unless you let them know, and then give them time to practice.

Try sticking to the same routine for a few weeks to see how much easier it is when your kids already know what they have to do next and where their school jumper is.

You may want to consider things like waking up at the same time every day, and the order in which you expect your kids to do the morning basics such as brushing their teeth and washing faces, getting dressed, and eating breakfast.

If it’s the same every day, they can learn to take responsibility for themselves as time goes on.

2. Get Enough Sleep

This may seem like a leap too far to include sleep in a morning routine, but sleep is critical, and if your child is not getting enough it can cause a tough morning.

An easy morning begins the night before, so set yourselves up for success.

Help your child get plenty of rest by setting a consistent bedtime and limit distractions such as screens before bed. A good night’s sleep will make waking up much easier.

(Oh, this goes for you too! I see you, binge watching Netflix until late at night!)

3. Plan Outfits the Night Before

I’m staying on the bandwagon and insisting that easy mornings are built upon proper planning the night before!

Starting the day off with a wardrobe struggle can make the morning even more stressful. Help prevent these tantrums by having your child choose their outfit the night before or gathering their school uniform into the same, easily accessible place every evening.

Just make this part of your evening routine. It might take a bit of coercion and effort at first, but after a while it will become part of their routine and your life will be simpler in the long run.

You are playing the long run, as always, with kids, don’t forget that!

4. Make Breakfast Easy and Nutritious

A decent breakfast is a great way to give your child a good start to the day. Prepare breakfast in advance by having items like fruit, yogurt, granola, or oatmeal on hand. Encourage your child to eat protein like eggs or peanut butter on toast, which will give them energy that lasts longer throughout the day.

If their usual breakfast is sugary cereal then it’s only reasonable to expect that within half an hour they will be full of beans, tearing around the house in full distraction-mode, completely unable to focus on your commands of “find your shoes!” and “we need to leave NOW!”

Balanced breakfast, balanced children (and happy Mum).

5. Eliminate Distractions

It is easy for children to spend more time playing in the morning than they should, leading to a rush which causes you to lose your sh*t.

To eliminate distractions, make it clear that morning routines must be completed before playtime. This all plays hand-in-hand with getting that solid routine established.

Often, by having that strong routine in place that kids can follow easily will actually lead to there being more time for them to play in the morning. If you are able to get that point across then you will be on to a double winner, I can assure you.

6. Encourage Independence

Encouraging your child’s independence, especially in the morning, can make the process go more smoothly. Give them a list or help them create a chart with tasks they need to complete each morning, like making their bed or putting away their dishes.

As they get older, they can take on more and more responsibility, which can be a great source of pride for them.

This one is also especially powerful for toddlers. Whilst it might take them 5 minutes to put their socks on themselves, if you make sure that you are all awake with enough time to incorporate this, then you can allow them to do it themselves and avoid a major meltdown.

I’ve always been adaptable over time with my toddlers to get them to be as independent as possible. As quickly as they learn to put their socks on in a reasonable amount of time, they begin to want to put their tshirt on themselves or butter their own toast. If you can constantly adjust the time you need each morning to suit your children as they grow and develop you will be able to stay ahead of the game and avoid the mad rush.

7. Build in Time for Physical Activity

Spending time in the morning doing physical activity can help boost your child’s mood and energy level. Some ideas include indoor or outdoor playtime, yoga, or even a short walk around the block or walking to school.

Incorporating an opportunity for kids to move their bodies into your morning routine will give them a head start for the day, and they will arrive at school with a better ability to focus.

8. Practice Mindfulness

Mornings can be chaotic, but taking a few minutes to practice mindfulness can help your child feel calmer and more centered. It can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths or doing a quick mindfulness exercise together. This can be a great way for both you and your child to start the day off on a positive note together.

Practice what you preach Mama, get yourself involved too, you’ll feel better for it and just maybe it will soothe the jitters you have from necking your morning coffee before it gets left to go cold.

Without planning and an easy routine, mornings with kids can be challenging, but a little bit of consistency can make all the difference. These tips can help make mornings run smoother and make everybody feel good throughout the day. Remember to be flexible and try different things to see what works best for you and your family, and even when you find something that works, you may need to re-evaluate your morning routine in a few months or even a few weeks.

Just lean into it and tweak everything as necessary.

Wishing you happy mornings!

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