The Morning Routine

Charts - Each of my children (and even me) have a chart of things that need to get done each morning and after school, categorized by day of the week. This “master list” is hanging up above shoes and coats, where everyone looks after school each day and before we head out the door each morning. We look at today’s chart and go through daily folders and mail, clean out lunch boxes, and get homework and paperwork done.

The Night Before - We look ahead to the next day to be sure lunches and snacks are packed and see what activities are scheduled. We can then pack up most things the night before (lunches, snacks, homework and paperwork). Clothes are the same; we try to take out the night before what will be worn the next day based on activity and temperature.

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Morning Time - An incentive for my kids for getting up, getting dressed, brushing teeth, making beds and eating a good breakfast is extra playtime! Even if it is 5 minutes, kids enjoy being able to do what THEY want (and I do too; coffee, paper, reading e-mail, etc.), if even for a few minutes. If you find your child is having a tough time ending playtime when it is time to leave, simply set a timer and when it goes off, it’s time to stop. If my children cannot stop, they know the next morning they won’t be able to play.

Getting Out the Door - Before playtime in the morning, my children and I are responsible for lining up everything we need at the door. Packing up our ready to go lunches, snacks, coats, shoes, items for extra-curricular activities, etc. is part of this task. When it is time to go, there are no excuses for not being prepared. When my children see me model this behavior, they are more likely to feel more personal responsibility and do it themselves.

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