Back to school time is here and parents everywhere are rejoicing. The school year ahead brings so many opportunities for learning, fun and growth. It also brings the not-so-fun struggles of getting children ready and out the door before the sun has even risen. We can’t change what time our kids must arrive at school. But there are a few things we can do to help make school mornings easier.
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Set an early enough bedtime
It is no secret that it is harder to wake up when you haven’t gotten enough sleep. The CDC recommends that preschool age kids get 10-13 hours of sleep a night. That school age kids get 9-12 and that teenagers get 8-10 hours. We always aim for the higher end of the ranges. So even when bedtime takes a little longer, everyone is still getting enough sleep.
Pack lunch/snack the night before.
There is nothing worse than scrambling to make lunch in the morning. While also juggling to get kids dressed and fed and get their teeth brushed. Oh and surprise, you are out of the turkey you planned to put on their sandwich. SO much stress can be avoided by making lunch and packing snacks ahead of time. Don’t forget to pre-fill their drink containers! We love using the Bentgo lunchboxes for our preschool and school age kids.
Pick out clothes for kids AND yourself the night before.
Check the weather and grab an outfit for each of your kids to wear. Make sure to include everything they will need- underwear, socks, jacket, etc. Don’t forget to also pick out what you will wear. You can even have your children sleep in the clothes they will be wearing the next day, if those clothes are appropriate for sleeping.
Pre-make or preselect what will be served for breakfast
If possible, you can can even set out food for each of your kids ahead of time. Any time and effort put in the night before is time and effort that you can save in the morning.
Bedtime Double Check
Before I go to bed for the night, I do a double check to make sure everything is ready for the next day. Any necessary forms are filled out, tuition check is ready, notes to the teachers are written and gas is in my car. If the kids need to bring something to school for show and tell or for any other reason, it is already in their bags and ready to go.
Give yourself extra time
No matter how much you plan and prepare, things will ultimately pop up from time to time that will derail your school mornings. Giving yourself some cushion time helps ensure that even when things do come up, your kids will not end up being tardy.
Get kids dressed AFTER eating breakfast
If you kids didn’t sleep in the clothes they are wearing to school, this helps to avoid needing an early change of outfit if any spills or drips happen during breakfast. We keep our pre-picked outfits for the kids downstairs so they can change into their school clothes without needing to go back upstairs. The shoes they will wear are also already there and waiting.
No TV on school mornings
Television creates what I lovingly call the slow poke effect in kids. While they are tired and paying attention to the TV, they become infinitely slower at everything else they are doing. And in mornings where time is a factor, slow pokes are not welcome. TV can also create reluctance to leave for school, since it is unlikely that their show will end at the exact moment that it is time to go. We instead opt for listening to cheery kids music with Amazon Music, so we can bring it along with us when we transition to the car.
Like with all things, what works for one family, may not work for another. Does something else help your school mornings go smoother? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
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