School mornings can be very busy. The kids need to eat, get dressed and be ready for school. The more children you add into that routine, the crazier it can become. School mornings don’t have to make you want to pull your hair out. Use these tips to make your morning routine a little easier.

Back to School Morning Routines

Check Your Bedtime Routine

If everyone is cranky and sluggish, it might be a good idea to look at the bedtime routine. Some, or all, of the family, might not be getting enough sleep. Try moving bedtime earlier so that everyone gets enough sleep. Even if you are moving bedtime earlier, make sure that you keep the same bedtime routine. This might mean you need to eat dinner earlier and do bath time earlier.

Start the Night Before

Don’t try to do everything at once in the morning. Do what you can the night before. Pick out clothes, decide what’s for lunch and get breakfast set up to be made. By spending a few minutes the night before, your morning routine can feel less hectic.

Whether you pick out your child’s clothes or they do it themselves, have the clothes picked out the day before and set ready for the morning. Get the whole outfit together, down to socks and shoes. Put the school bag and coat together by the front door. This helps eliminate the last minute running around looking for things.

If the kids eat breakfast at home, get things ready at night. Put the cereal box, bowl and spoon on the kitchen table. In the morning, all you will have to do is pour the cereal

Pack lunch the night before. Get all of the shelf-stable things together in the lunch box. The next morning while the kids are eating breakfast, you can add in the items from the refrigerator and lunch is ready.

Get Up Early

Parents can make getting ready easier in the morning by getting up before the kids. If your children need you to help them get ready or help them to stay on track, it can be hard to leave them to get yourself ready. By getting up a few minutes earlier than the kids, you can get ready without the stress of rushing around, while getting the kids ready.

No TV

Avoid having the TV on in the morning. Children have a hard time being able to focus on what they need to do to get ready in the morning. Keep the tv off and avoid the battle, at least until the kids are completely ready.

Don’t let back to school mornings cause you extra stress. Use these simple tips to create a smooth morning routine.