Curious Parents Education Resources

Parenting

How to Manage Morning Madness in Nine Easy Steps

By Meredith Kydd-Hindelang

Are your mornings rushed, hectic, and unmanageable? If so, then you are probably experiencing morning madness, which can be very stressful. Morning madness is very common in many households; however, it can be easily avoided. Creating a peaceful morning routine is not hard to do. To make sure your mornings always start the day off right, follow these basic steps.  

Start your morning at night

Prepare as much as you can the night before. Lay out your children’s clothes, prepare their lunches, plan what they will be having for breakfast, make sure their book bags are packed and homework is complete. Let your children know exactly where their clothes, lunches and book bags will be so there is no confusion in the morning. The more that gets done at night makes more time and less stress for you in the mornings.

Get some sleep

Being well-rested is very important and will make you more capable in the morning. Fatigue causes stress and that is one thing that will not help or improve anyone’s day. Also, make sure that your children are getting enough sleep, especially if they are having trouble waking up in the morning. Adjusting bedtimes and wake up times can also be beneficial. Do everything possible to ensure that you get the rest you need even if that means leaving some things unfinished. With everyone better rested the morning will run without a hitch.

Start early

Instead of always rushing, make things less chaotic by building cushions into your schedule. Having at least 10 or 15 extra minutes built into the schedule each day will make things less complicated, especially if someone is running late. It will also give you some extra time in the morning to finish things from the previous day or to relax for a few minutes.

Have a set plan

Creating a structure for your children will make your life much easier. By letting them know what is going on, they feel included and know what to expect. Developing specific times to do certain things such as wake up and have breakfast lets you keep things under control. It is also to your advantage to have specific locations for bookbags, lunches, etc. so you as well as your children will always know where things are going to be.

Invest in a calendar

Buy a huge calendar and hang it in a central and easy to read location. Write down everything from soccer practice to dentist appointments on it. Color-coding and/or including names of who has what and when can help avoid miscommunication. Make sure you consistently update the calendar and that everyone looks at it regularly so they know their schedule.       

Be organized

Having message boards and organized bins will make finding things seem effortless when you are in a hurry. They can store homework and permission slips in easy to reach places and be a reminder to you and your children if they are placed near the door. Having a big, central clock will keep you on schedule and let the kids see what time it is constantly. Having a row of hooks keeps coats, keys and other miscellaneous things together and organized. 

Eliminate distractions

The last thing children need in the morning is a distraction. The TV, computer, and video games should not be options in the morning. They will only sidetrack your children and nothing will be accomplished. Reminding your children to stay on task will help everyone stick to the schedule and be on time.

Talk to your children

If there are problems, take the time to sit down and talk with your children about them. There is no better way to fix troubles than to communicate with your children. Give everyone a chance to say what he or she would like and then come up with a feasible solution that everyone can agree to.

Reward successes

As you and your children become more adapted to the set schedule your mornings will flow more smoothly. Remember to praise your children for getting things done on time and being organized. Even planning something special on the weekend, as a reward, is a good way to let them know to keep up the good work! 

Meredith Kydd-Hindelang is a freelance writer from Kennett Square, Pa.