Tips for the morning routine with kids

Oh, the morning routine. Those of you with school aged children, in particular, know exactly what I mean.

How to get everyone out the door when you you need to, with the things they need, and, preferably without the neighbors calling Child Protective Services. OK, I jest about that part. Mostly.

I’m not an expert, and, I don’t play one on the Internet, either, but, here are some of the things we do to make the mornings easier. Some of them are obvious, but, they may be easier said than done:

1.Prepare everything you need the night before – NO exceptions. When we are running late or have a frazzled morning, it’s almost always because we’ve said the night before: “Eh, skip it, we’ll do it in the morning.

Make a commitment to have lunches made, backpacks by the door, gym clothes bagged, folders signed, permission slips filled out, clothes (including shoes) located, and, laid out etc. even if you are tired. I make the kids show me that everything is ready to “go out the door” before they go to bed.

For us, this also includes having cash on hand (dollar bills and quarters for lunch money, and, whatever comes up), as well as gas in the car. I tend to put that stuff off, and, am very grumpy (wait, who was that that muttered, “understatement”?) if I have to stop for gas or money in the mornings.

2. Force yourself to get ready for Monday on Friday night – Since I have self-diagnosed Sunday Affective Disorder, I’m always looking for ways to make it better. I make myself prepare lunch money, wash gym clothes and school uniforms, locate sports equipment, and, look in backpacks and folders, etc. on Friday night, so that I enjoy being ahead a bit on Sunday evening.

3. Post a list of what items are needed each day – We have an index card on the back door with a heading for each day of the week. Under each day of the week there is a complete list of what everyone needs to take out the door with them (lunch, gym clothes, band instruments, library books), and, any after school activities (scout meeting, sports practices). Entries such as “lunch or lunch money” are repeated each day, so that every day is a complete list.

4. Find a place near the main door to make a “launching pad” – we have a bakers rack with shelves for each kid by the back door where they can store items that need to go out the door with them each day. Ideally, they’d put stuff back there at the end of the day, but, well, we don’t live in an ideal world, now, do we?

5. Stick to the same routine each day – From wake-up times, to when everyone should be at breakfast, do it the same time and in the same order everyday. Decide if everyone must be dressed before they come eat (works better for us), or, if getting ready should occur after the morning meal. We have also had to develop guidelines for computer and TV use for those who get ready early.

6. Develop what I call the “Out the Door Question Set” – the last thing I say every morning before we lock up is, “Lunch? Backpacks? (yes, we have gotten to school without backpacks before), Trumpets? Gym Clothes?”.

I repeat it each day in the same order, and, even though it induces much eye-rolling, I think the repetition has taught them to organize themselves for the day.

What kinds of things do you do to make the morning rush easier?