For a long time, I dreaded my early morning alarm, signaling that the first day of school was finally upon me. As a parent, you know that mornings are one of two ways: either everyone is excited and ready for the first day of school, or your kids are whiny and hostile about the end of their summer vacation. Many back-to-school mornings went the second way, and let’s say all the crying wasn’t necessarily from the kids. So instead of running in circles, leaving our mornings hectic and stressful, I found another way!
Here is my guide to a relaxed back-to-school morning routine that will be your best morning routine ever!
Wake up early
I know that waking up early can sound like the very last thing you want to do when it comes to back to school season. You and your kids have gotten used to a schedule of staying up late and sleeping in, so an abrupt 6 am alarm will come like a rude awakening. In the weeks leading up to your school days, start setting your alarm a little earlier and practice your morning routine. This will make your mornings run like a well-oiled machine by the time it’s time to go back to school, and you will provide your mornings with a nice cushion in case there are any unexpected hiccups.
Reduce your morning tasks
One of the best things you can do to relax your mornings and reduce the amount of stress you have in the morning is by preparing as much as you can ahead of time and reduce your morning tasks.
Here are some ideas for prep-ahead jobs that can help relieve some of your morning workload:
- Batch cook your breakfast food on Sunday, so you have an easy, ready-to-go breakfast for the week.
- Pack your lunches the night before and set up their lunchboxes, so it’s easy to grab and go in the morning.
- Finish up any homework and pack up their book bag the night before.
- Lay out your clothes for the following day.
Make time for breakfast as a family
Whether you are putting toast in the toaster or enjoying a breakfast casserole together, make it a goal that you will sit down each morning and have breakfast as a family. If this means getting up a little earlier so you can all eat together, then do it! This will give you time to spend together as a family before all the craziness that comes with the day sets in.
Set aside a few minutes for yourself and do the same for your kids
Have you ever noticed that if you leave “you time” for the end of the day that you suddenly never have time to do the things you want to do? This happens to all of us! But the solution is quite simple. Instead of saying that time of the end of the day, set aside time in the morning to do something for yourself. Let your kids play with their toys or do something they want to do to ensure that everyone gets that quality time.
Make getting up more relaxing
Getting up in the morning is a lot less relaxing when you have a loud beeping telling you that it’s time to get up before the sun. Instead of a loud alarm that causes you to jump out of bed, try setting your alarm to play a song. We also love the gentle wake-up provided by Hatch Restore. Then, start your morning with snuggles from your children instead of your phone, focusing on making the wake-up process a gentle one.
Start the day with something positive
How you start your day will set the tone for the entire day. So find something that can turn your morning routine into a positive experience. This should be something that focuses on changing your attitude and sets the tone for the day ahead. It can be something simple like hugging your children close before they get out of bed. It could be something like having a story read when they finish breakfast or do something that will connect with your kids first thing in the morning.
Delegate!
As moms, we tend to try and do it all ourselves. But the reality is that even when we get up hours before our kids and make long to-do lists, we need a little help. So get your partner or even your children involved in the morning process. Your spouse can help get the kids dressed, pack lunches, get breakfast ready, or even take your kids to school. Your kids can help pack up their bags or even dress themselves.
Every morning doesn’t have to feel like being a circus ringleader. It may take you some time to transform your household madness into a less stressful morning that is perfect for your family, but I promise you that it is possible.