You know calm and organized are not in your wheelhouse for your morning routine, but what just happened, will never happen again, you tell yourself.
You had to tell your kids to put on their clothes, shoes, and jackets at least five times.
You yelled.
You were late to work.
You didn’t have time to make your lunch so you’ll be buying the $10 salad again.
Your morning was filled with regret instead of a peaceful transition.
Kiddywampus. That would be the best way to describe our mornings. Everything was out of whack. Our routine, our expectations, and our preparations were all out of alignment. My last straw was a chaotic Monday where we played whack-a-mole crisis trying to get our family out the door to school and work. Our ill-prepared morning left our whole family feeling overwhelmed. I’m not striving for perfection, but I do expect it to be peaceful, and I was willing to start making changes to find that type of morning.
The first thing I did was talk to my kids about how our morning went wrong. I apologized for yelling and I explained how their actions (or inactions) impacted our family. I asked them for ideas on how we could get out of the house better each morning and I told them about the things I expect to happen each morning. I also told them I needed their help. Below are tips we’ve used in our family to take the chaos out of weekday mornings. Our mornings aren’t perfect, but they are no longer chaotic.
- Prepare the Night Before.
Prepare everything you can for the next day the night before. This means laying out clothes and backpacks. Even laying out your own work bag and clothes can help move the morning along. Check the backpacks the night before for homework, permission slips or any items that need your attention that you can complete or prepare the night before.
- Wake Up Before Your Kids.
Waking up before your kids seems like a huge ask especially when you are so tired. And well, getting up earlier does take effort but the time you get before your kids get up is a worthy trade for a peaceful morning. Those extra minutes could come in really handy and could mean you getting some time to get your car packed or make coffee.
- Lunch Prep on the Weekends.
One of the best changes we made in our family is to make all the lunches on the weekend. This means that time in the morning or on busy weeknights isn’t consumed by making lunches. The containers are stored in our fridge and we are able to just grab and go.
- Create a Routine and Stick to It.
Determine the best routine for your family and then make the change permanent. Figure out if a reward system would work well for your kids or even pasting routine charts about dressing or the morning schedule in their bedrooms. Or maybe you institute a fun night out if you don’t have a late morning all week or month. In our family, we’ve found that creating a drop-off and pick-up routine and sticking to it also makes our days smoother.
- Take the Time to Connect with Your Child and Partner Before Leaving.
It seems obvious, but you should hug and kiss your kids and partner goodbye every day. Taking a moment to slow down and show those around you how much you love them allows everyone to start the day off in a loving way. Or create a fun saying or expression that is unique in your family when you say goodbye.
Mornings are never perfect but they can be peaceful, with planning and consistency.
{Photo Credit: Sarah Hudson Photography}
