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Mornings can be an incredibly hectic and crazy time for families. As parents we are typically trying to get the kids bathed, clothed and fed all while trying to get ready for work ourselves—and all this usually on a time crunch! The stress can be overwhelming so that’s why you need to build a morning routine that works for you and that will help make life easier in the morning. Creating these healthy habits will help things move along seamlessly and get everyone out the door on time! Check out our seven morning routine hacks that every parent should know for creating an easy morning routine for your kids.
It starts at bedtime
Get into the habit of putting your kids to bed earlier and earlier each night. With summer coming to an end it’s likely that your kids started pushing their bedtime back further so this might be hard at first but don’t worry, they will get used to it! As they gradually get to sleep earlier, waking up on time will be much easier making a smoother morning for all. It will also improve their overall day and enhance their sleep habits as well.
Alarm clock
Kids can usually sleep through anything so it’s very easy for them to press snooze on their alarm, pull the covers over their head and drift back off into dreamland. Try moving their alarm clock all the way across the room from their bed so they actually have to get out of bed to shut it off. This will get them up and moving and help them start their day. If you have young kids who don’t use alarms, try waking them up 30 minutes before they actually have to be out of bed to give them time to adjust to that morning sun.
Play music
Playing music while everyone is getting ready can help make things more enjoyable but it’s also a good way of waking everyone up and getting them excited for the day! Classical music is proven to increase productivity through brain activity or if that doesn’t work for you you can also throw on your kid’s favorite kind of music. Get moving, dance and have a little fun in the morning!
Label hangers
This is such an incredible tip for saving time in the mornings and I know many mamas who do it! Create labels for hangers or closet organizers for each day of the week. Pick out your kid’s outfits with them on Sundays as a fun activity to do together and hang each outfit on its designated hanger. It’s so simple but so effective for grabbing an outfit quickly every morning.
Prep your breakfast
Keep it simple! Smoothies are a great way to start your morning—healthy, quick, easy and super-fast cleanup. You can cut your fruits and greens the night before, throw them in the freezer overnight and then pop them in the blender in the morning spending barely any precious time doing the work while you get ready for the day. Set the table the night before or at least get everything ready. Don’t do smoothies? No biggie, just have an idea the night before as to what you are going to feed the kids for breakfast!
Make lunches the night before
Meal prepping your kids lunches the night before a great way to save time in the mornings. You can have everything packed in glass containers and ready to go so that you can either put it in a lunchbox in the refrigerator then or throw it all in quickly in the morning. Believe me, if I try to do this in the morning I wind up giving them junk or forgetting something because I am in a hurry!
Utilize coat hooks
Designating a specific coat hook for each kid’s backpacks and coats is a must. This means everyone knows exactly where their school necessities are when they need to head out the door and no one will be frantically looking around the house for their things. If you don’t have a place to put coat hooks by the front door, don’t worry, you can use any method you like just have it at a place everyone knows and everyone can get to easily. I know some people who come and go through their back door so they keep their hook system there. Whatever works for you, do it, just have a place for school things.
A Note on Safety
When we’re pressed for time it means that we may speed or weave in and out of traffic to get to our destination. Rush hour can already be a dangerous time on the roads so it’s always a great idea to leave much earlier than you think is necessary. When you leave early the likelihood of rushing and getting in an accident decreases drastically.
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