WAYS TO HAVE A SMOOTHER MORNING WITH YOUR KIDS.

12 TIPS TO ELIMINATE MORNING ROUTINE STRESS.

Nailing the right bedtime and morning routine helps everyone have a better day. Not all of us are morning people, but life with kids doesn’t care much for the preferences of our sleep cycle. When children are in the picture and back to school is in the air, we all got to get used with the AM program.

Getting to set a clear and stable morning routine can be of much help to the whole family to get on board and stay on track. It also gives your child a sense of trust, safety and security. Since they know what to expect and they can easily move through responsibilities.

Below are some helpful tips.

1. MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS ENOUGH SLEEP.

Before we start the morning, we need to get a good amount of sleep through the night. If a child doesn’t get enough sleep they cannot concentrate well and everything will just seem harder. Sleep needs to be a rhythmic process with no catching up on weekends.

It is advisable to set alarms for the same time every morning “no matter what the exit time out of the house is”, says Dr. Jerry Bubrick, Senior Clinical Psychologist at The Child Mind Institute.

2. PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE. 

Mornings can get hectic, but you can help change that by allowing yourself have enough time to get everything done. Get a head start the night before.

Mornings are likely to set a tone for your entire day, hence it’s advisable to eliminate that frantic, rushing out the door feeling. Better enough, students need their bags packed and outfit picked the night before.

3. STOCK UP ON ORGANIZATIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE HOME.

“It is beneficial to take time to look at the organization of the homes entrance”, says Marina V. Umali, an interior designer. “Keeping everything organized will ensure a smooth morning routine and will save precious time getting ready. Purchasing bins, containers and hooks that can be assigned to each adult or child is the best way to keep everything organized and in one place.”

4. TALK WITH KIDS ABOUT WHATS ON THEIR MIND FOR THE NEXT DAY.

It is important to talk to your kids before they go to bed to enhance a good night sleep and a stress free morning. A parent can ask some questions like: what are you looking forward to? What, if any concerns do you have?

By trying to talk through any tough or exciting topics before bed, you likely to have a smoother morning with no stress on your kids’ part.

5. GET IN A POSITIVE MINDSET BEFORE YOU WAKE THE KINDS.

It is important to be peppy and bright first thing in the morning by centering yourself in a positive mindset. This can work wonders for you and your kids.

“Parents always have the power to turn mood-ship round, from happy to unhappy and from unhappy to happy”, says Jacqueline Pirtle, a mindfulness coach and the author of 365 Days of Happiness: Because Happiness Is a Piece of Cake”, Recommends meditating into a happy, feel good place before parent duties start and before waking up the kids.

6. GET YOURSELF READY FIRST.

“In our minds as parents, it seems logical that we can get ready while our kids do, but logic doesn’t always work with parenting. Wake up a bit early, shower and get yourself ready before waking up the kids”. Says Dr. Bubrick.

7. LIMIT LUNCH OPTIONS, BUT GIVE A CHOICE.

If you can, you should also prepare lunch meals and snacks the night before, also let the kids help a bit in making the decision of which meal to go with.

“Go over at night what are the plans for the next day’s lunch if the parent packs it”, says Ben Bernstein, a Performance Psychologist. Also continues to state “Give your child two options if you can, it will make kids feel like they are part of the decision making process”.

8. HAVE KIDS MAKE THEIR OWN BED.

“Making the bed creates a domino effect, triggering other healthy habits throughout the day, also establishes a feeling of accomplishment first thing in the morning. Since it is tough to tackle the big things without getting the little thing done first”, Says Karin Sun, mother of two also founder of Crane & Canopy, an online provider of luxury bedding and bath products.

By doing the above, having your kids’ make their bed in the morning instills good habits early on.

9. REMAIN CALM AND CONNECTED.

“Model patience and calmness, if you are yelling, you’ve already lost the battle. The calmer you are, the more responsive your child will be. We can’t expect our kids to be efficient and happy if we are screaming at them, and they will learn it’s okay to yell when frustrated”. Says Dr. Bubrick.

Example it’s easy to snap at a child who refuses to put their shoes on, but instead of getting angry at bad behavior, focus on rewarding good behavior.

10.  NO TV OR GAMES FIRST THING.

Most likely when kids get out of bed, they may want to rush to activities more joyous than brushing their teeth, therefore it’s good to plug off the television or any videogames in the morning, this facilitates a productive day ahead.

“Playing games and watching Tv should not be allowed in the mornings prior to your child completing all of his responsibilities first, you can however, use games and television as a motivator for quickly getting washed, dressed, brushing teeth, eating breakfast and preparing your backpack, as in the faster you get ready for school, the more you get to watch Tv”. Says Dr. Walfish, a Family and Relationship Psychotherapist and an author of The Self Aware Parent: Resolving Conflict and Building a Better Bond with Your Child.

11. HAVE A PROTEIN RICH BREAKFAST.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this is especially so for your kids. Hence need to make the best choice.

“Lunch at school varies from 10:30am to 1pm, so we want their brains and bodies nourished for maximum performance, Protein rich foods like eggs and cheese or even health protein bars are better than empty calories or nothing”. Says Dr. Bubrick.

12. BE FLEXIBLE EVEN IF IT MEANS BREAKING THE ROUTINE.

“Be flexible. While routines are important, parents who are inflexible with routine can cause more stress and anxiety. I see a lot of children who may not be hungry in the morning. Instead of trying to force feed a child, just have the child sit with family for breakfast. Or if they don’t want to pick their clothes out the night before as by the routine, then have them pick another time to do it. If your kids feel they are part of making the routine, they are more likely to follow it”. Says Dr. Laura F. Dabney, MD, a Psychiatrist.