5 Tips for Parents to Make Morning Routines Easier

Mornings with kids can feel hectic — between getting everyone dressed, fed, and out the door, it’s easy to start the day feeling frazzled. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With just a few intentional changes, you can transform your mornings from chaotic to calm. In this post, we’ll share 5 practical steps that help parents create a smoother, more stress-free start to the day.

1. Pack lunches and snacks and fill water bottles.  

Get the kids involved! Give them the freedom to choose and the opportunity to take on some responsibility. If you want to ensure kids pack balanced lunches, make a snack/lunch cheat sheet with all their options and provide guidelines.

• Fruits/Vegetables: At least one
• Sweets: No more than one
• Crunchies: No more than two
• Mains: Choose one

2. Do an evening round up of homework and backpacks.

Before the kids go to bed, have them create a routine of putting everything into their backpacks so it’s ready to go in the morning. Want next level organization? Have each person identify a spot in the house where their backpack will go each evening and where it will be waiting for them each morning. No more last minute, “Where’s my backpack?!”

3. Lay out clothes.

If you have a child who stalls out in the morning when getting dressed, have them pick out their clothes, socks, and shoes and lay them out the night before. Embrace creativity. A child who dresses the night before so they can pop out of bed ready to go shows initiative!

4. Stick to a consistent bedtime.

We want the best for our kids and will make sure they get what they need, like tutors and lessons to succeed, but we undermine all those efforts if we leave sleep off the priority list. Only half of all kids get enough sleep, which can impact schoolwork and focus. A consistent bedtime not only sets kids up for success it’s also easier for a well-rested kid to get going in the morning. Bonus benefit – getting kids to bed earlier also increases the chance that you wind down earlier and get the sleep you need!

5. Follow a chore chart to stay on track.

Use a chart to provide a visual reminder of what your kids need to do each morning. It’s a great way to view all of the steps, instill independence, and it provides a good reminder. For example:

• Eat Breakfast
• Make Bed
• Get Dressed
• Brush Teeth

A smoother morning starts with a smarter routine. By taking just a few simple steps, you can turn daily chaos into calm and set a positive tone for the rest of your day. Try these tips, tweak them to fit your family, and enjoy the difference a little planning can make. You’ve got this!

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