It’s been what, four months since most of our kids set foot inside a classroom? It’s a welcome return and one most parents have long anticipated. But if you’re having a hard time finding the rhythm of it all, don’t be too hard on yourself.
Early mornings require a mixed bag of jobs – including chef, hairdresser, personal stylist, maid, and secretary. The demand can be rough on the best of us. Condense all that work into 60 or 90 short minutes before you need to be out the door and – well it’s no wonder most of us arrive at school a bit stressed out in the mornings.
A strong routine in the morning will help, as will these useful tips:
• Make sure kids help empty their backpacks and lunch kits when they get home from school. That way you won’t be discovering homework at 8 a.m., misplaced permission slips and funky lunch containers needed for the day.
• Lay out clothing the night before: Consider making a “scarecrow” on the floor with an entire outfit so there are no decisions to be made in the morning.
• If your kids are fussy about lunches, have them help you prepare them before bed the night before. Otherwise have everything ready to go before you roll out of bed. Pre-make sandwiches and freeze them so that in the mornings you can just grab and go. Nut butters (if you are allowed to send it), tuna fish, and even cold cuts can freeze well. Cold sandwiches also help keep other items like yogurt or cheese cool as they thaw before lunch. Consider prepping chopped vegetables a couple times a week and keeping them in a wet storage container in the fridge. Carrot and celery sticks, peppers, sliced zucchini and cucumber make great dippers for hummus or tzatziki – both easy and affordable to make at home.
• Set parameters: If, for example, you have trouble getting Junior out the door because he’s determined to get to the next level of Minecraft, you may need to establish a “no screens before school” rule. It is far easier on you AND them to have clear expectations and consistent rules, versus sometimes being permitted to indulge and other times not being able to. You will effectively eliminate (hopefully!) all whining, begging and pleading when you have clearly communicated boundaries.
• The most effective thing you can do is give yourself lots of time and be two – if not 10 – steps ahead of your children. When I started getting up extra early for a morning walk recently our pre-school routine noticeably shifted for the better. I was showered and dressed, and breakfast was ready to eat when the kids got up. So long as you are not scurrying around trying to pull together snacks and lunches, not to mention getting ready yourself, you can focus on the little people and keep them on task.
Whatever you decide, put some thought into how you want your mornings to look and then make it happen. There will be a lot more smiles when you show up at school in the morning all around.
Kirsten Andrews offers Simplicity Parenting courses, workshops and private consultations in the Corridor and Lower Mainland. Visit Sea To Sky Simplicity Parenting on Facebook or www.SeaToSkySimplicityParenting.com.
