How to Make School Morning Routines Run Smoothly—Moms Share Tips
Take a cue from mothers across the country who have found small, meaningful ways to revolutionize the tired old school morning routine.
Kelly Sikkema for Unsplash
With another school year fast approaching, I’m finding myself preemptively dreading the morning rush. I can clearly remember last fall when my in-laws stayed on as house guests, gaining front-row seats to the chaos that is getting my second grader ready for school.
There is something illuminating about witnessing your routines through an on-looker’s eyes. Suddenly our school morning routine went from seemingly efficient (albeit, frenetic) to downright ludicrous. Now when I think of them, I can only see a particular scene from The Wizard of Oz—the one where Dorothy and friends undergo makeovers in the Emerald City, each one assigned a small team to brush, polish, and spruce them to perfection. Just imagine that moment with uniforms and backpacks and lacking all its joy and wide-eyed wonder and you’ll have an idea of what mornings have been like around here.
Needless to say, our school morning routine—if you could call it that—could use some sprucing of its own. While my husband and I are already in the habit of ironing uniforms and packing lunches the night before, our mornings are still a frantic countdown that barely leaves time enough for a hug goodbye.
So, in an effort to recalibrate and bring more peace and ease into my daughter’s school days this year, I reached out to the people who truly know best—moms across the country who have found small, meaningful ways to bring simplicity back to their school morning routines.
Here’s how they ensure school mornings in their homes are as peaceful as can be.
Struggling with Morning Wake-Ups
Jessica B, a mom in Los Angeles, California, dreamed up a brilliant way to set the right tone for the day, while also making certain their mornings stay on track. “My 7-year-old hates getting up,” she says. “So when we wake him, we give him a piggyback ride around the house. It’s the only way to get him out of the bed, but it makes for a cheerful wakeup.”
When it comes to starting the day, Kristen H., in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, realized she can infuse the right energy only after she tends to herself first. “Getting up earlier than my kids just makes me a nicer person. It took me five years of motherhood to realize that my children waking me up is not good for anyone. Now I've showered, dressed, drank some coffee, checked my phone, got some work done or stretched for 10 minutes. Not every morning is perfect but the ‘morning self-care’ really helps my mood with them,” she says.
“When we wake him, we give him a piggy back ride around the house. It’s the only way to get him out of the bed, but it makes for a cheerful wakeup.”
“My first grader needs time to ease into the day—but I don’t want to get up earlier than I have to,” says Petra S., a mom in Detroit, Michigan. To make sure everyone gets the time they need, Petra bought an OK-to-wake light that gently wakes her daughter to give her time to read or play. “When it’s time to start the morning routine, the light turns green and she knows to come down for breakfast.”
When asked the key to her school morning routine, Rebecca C. in Washington DC didn’t hesitate. “Donuts. Seriously,” she says. “Once I started allowing daily donuts on school mornings, 80 percent of the fight disappeared.” Rebecca helms a family of night owls and getting up in the morning has never been easy for any of them. So, as a workaround, she allows everyone to sleep until the last minute, helps ease them into their clothes, and then hands them a portable and motivating breakfast on their way out the door.
Mathilde Langevin for Unsplash
Keeping Kids On-Task
Emily D., a mom in Ann Arbor, Michigan, swears by running through the morning the night before. “Especially to ease into new routines, I find it helpful to talk through how the next day will go,” she says. “I tell my son the simple steps of the day, things like waking up, changing clothes, and eating breakfast. I find it makes a difference to mitigate any surprises I can!”
“I hang my preschooler’s clothes where she can easily reach them and make sure there are no ties or snaps that are too tricky for her to master,” says Anna D. in Chicago, Illinois. “It’s her job to get dressed in the morning and put on her own shoes! She’s proud of what she can do for herself and it takes those to-do’s off my plate.”
“Instead of saying ‘Did you brush your teeth? Did you put your shoes on?’ I just ask if they did everything on the list.”
To empower her little ones to keep routines running, Ramsey H. in El Cerrito, California, gave them each a checklist to follow. “I made a list of all the things they need to do every morning before school, laminated it, and posted it on their bedroom doors,” she says. “Then instead of saying ‘Did you brush your teeth? Did you put your shoes on?’ I just ask if they did everything on the list.”
“My kid is the world's slowest eater,” laments Amina S. in Great Fall, Virginia. “I got a 10-minute hourglass so he can see the sand fall and know that's how much time he has to eat if he wants playtime before school.”
Meg S. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania found a workaround for her kids getting lured off-track in the mornings. “I moved their toothbrushes to the first floor. If they go upstairs again I lose them, they get into their toys, etc. so brushing in our butler pantry prep sink works for us.”
Keeping the Family Organized
“Do as many tasks in one location at once. For instance, we get dressed once—we do the clothes, the shoes, the jacket all at once. We go into the bathroom once. We brush teeth, hair, etc. all in one swoop,” says Kris T. in Chicago, Illinois. “This keeps us moving and ensures we’re not running all over the house.”
Sonia A. in Chicago, Illinois keeps little ones organized and moving by giving each a “daily bin.” “You drop in their outfits, including socks and underwear, for each day and that way when they get up they can dress themselves,” she says.
Mariusz Słoński for Unsplash
Embracing a Teamwork Philosophy
Rose N. in New York City leans on alarms she sets for moments in their routine like sitting down for breakfast and putting on shoes. “It takes a bit of the ‘parents versus kids’ energy out of moving the process along,” she says.
“If there’s a piece of the routine that causes the most whining, do some problem-solving with your kids to see if you can come up with a new plan,” says Emily FP in Oneonta, New York. Working together allows little ones some say in how their days run—and they may be more likely to jump on board if they feel their input holds value.
“I make sure the first thing I do every morning is look them in the eye and tell them I'm happy to see them…”
Choosing the Right Mindset
“Beyond the practical tips, I just work hard to stay emotionally regulated. It’s taken me years to learn that the more I try to rush my kids, the more problems we have,” says Jennifer B. in Olympia, Washington. “I try to stay as chill as possible even when we’re running late or kids are tantrum-ing etc. It makes the difference between my kids digging in their heels versus eventually cooperating and getting out the door.”
Admitting it’s a small shift that makes a big difference, Sarah P. starts the day thinking about setting the right tone. “I make sure the first thing I do every morning is actually look them in the eye, smile, kiss them, tell them I'm happy to see them, ask how they slept, and ask for some cuddles.”
Read more:
