4 Tips for an Easier Morning Routine

Do you want your morning routine with kids to be a bit smoother? Whether it’s back to school season or your family’s morning routine just needs a refresher, I’ve got 4 tips to help!

I am not a morning person. Before kids, I would lay in bed until the last possible minute before rushing to be at work on time.

But now that I’ve got two kids, something had to change! Getting myself and two little people ready for the day requires a bit of preparation and thinking ahead.

Here are some tips to make your morning routine with kids a bit easier!

1. Use a five shelf closet organizer

How great is this closet organizer? It’s got five little shelves so you can easily prep an outfit for your kids for each day of the school week!

There’s plenty of space for accessories, jackets, and shoes too!

Tip for use: Put clothes directly in here as you fold them straight from the dryer. Dressing the kids for school really doesn’t get any easier than this!

2. Give choices wherever possible.

If you’ve got a kid who is more particular, I see you Mama! To get a quick win with a kid who doesn’t want to wear a jacket, eat the lunch you’ve packed, or brush their teeth, find a way to give them a choice.

Giving choices make your child feel in control, gives them ownership over a decision, and ends arguments.

Best of all: It helps your morning routine go more smoothly and happily.

Some examples of giving choices during the morning routine:

• Do you want to wear the blue jacket or your black one?
• Do you want to get dressed first and then brush your teeth, or brush your teeth and then get dressed?
• There are five outfits in your closet organizer ready to go. Pick whichever outfit you want today!

You will find that your kid will more readily follow directions and be happier about it. Sprinkle choices in your morning routine and I promise you a smoother start to the day!

3. Use checklists for kids and Mom

Since Fitz is getting more independent but not yet reading, a visual checklist like this morning checklist for kids is the perfect way for him to know what to do in the mornings. He will still need some monitoring, but I hope over time he will do more and more by himself!

As for me, well every morning I find myself standing at the door with my arms full, frantically going through everything I need for the day: work bag, laptop, lunch, water bottle, Fitz’s lunch, pumping bag, Coco’s bottles…..do I have it all??

But it’s too much to keep track of, and I often end up forgetting something!

I use this Morning Checklist for Moms and it’s a game changer! Post it on your fridge, command center, or wherever is a good place for you to just look at before you head out the door.

I don’t actually check items off. It just helps me go down the list and make a visual check that I have everything. And I don’t have to worry I’ve forgotten something because I’ve looked at the list, grabbed anything I’ve forgotten, and I know I have what I need .

Morning checklists = a calmer Mama as we start my day!

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4. Teach and practice

The teacher in me knows the best way to teach routines to kids is explicitly teaching your expectations first.

• Model: SHOW your kids exactly what the morning routine should look like. Walk through the routine with them, from getting out breakfast, to getting dressed, to getting their school backpack.
• Practice: Have your kids practice the routine and go through all of the steps.
• Reward: As they go, give feedback: “I love how you got dressed so nicely!” “Good job getting your backpack and lunch bag so quickly – you knew just what to do!”. Give a high five, a sticker, or anything that motivates your child!

I plan on doing a little trial run with Fitz days before his first day of school. That way the first day will feel more comfortable and we will be super prepared.

Which morning routine tip do you find the most helpful? Let me know below!

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