All parents struggle to get back into their morning routines after the
long summer holidays, but if every morning is a struggle for you, it may
be time to take action and beat that bell. Don’t’ have chaotic
mornings that see frenzied searches for missing items, nagging to get
kids moving or siblings fighting for bathroom time. Here are a few tips
to keep your mornings calm.
Learning Styles
Just as we need to change information to suit the child’s learning
style if we want them to absorb information in class, we also have to
adapt the way we communicate in the mornings. If your child is an auditory
learner, asking them to get up, telling them to brush their teeth and
wash their faces will be easy for them to comprehend.
Visual learners, however, may be left wondering what you just said or daydreaming
about their day. For these students, making charts with all their morning
tasks on it which they can tick off as they go through them may be just
the ticket.
Every child is different so try a few strategies like games, rewards and
incentives and songs to get them through their morning routines. Find
the formula that works for your family and stick to it until it becomes a habit.
Planning is Everything
School days always start the night before, especially for students who
have trouble getting ready. Decide on outfits and lay them out, pack school
bags and consult diaries to ensure that there are no forgotten assignments or tests.
Review the day ahead and ensure that all books are packed. What afterschool
activities are happening? Do you need musical instruments, sports uniforms
and field trip permission slips?
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The worst way to start your day is getting into a battle of wills with
your child. It takes up time, it stresses everyone out and it makes for
a really bad start to the day. While we are not always our best in the
mornings, we must try to be respectful of each other.
When parents treat children with respect and ask them to do things nicely,
it can diffuse some of the morning tension. If fighting is a big part
of every morning, either between you and your kids or between siblings,
it’s time to change the morning routine.
Start by asking them what they don’t like about mornings and really
listen to their answers. You may be surprised about what sets them off.
Knowing what makes them upset can help you to mitigate the irritation.
Talking about morning routines and ways to get things to flow smoothly
will help your family to work together to make waking up and getting to
school a happy and healthy process.
