The morning is often the most stressful time of day for parents. Now that kids are back to school, everybody’s had to suddenly get back into the swing of things again. This means new uniforms, PE kits, packed lunches, and the dreaded alarm clock. If you’re having difficulties with the back to school morning routine, then you’re surely not the only one. Don’t worry, there are some tips and tricks you can try. Here are seven hacks to help you get through it.
Prepare what you can the night before
The old classic, but it works. The more you have prepared the night before the less you’ll have to stress over in the morning. You’ll also be more equipped to prevent unforeseen emergencies. Prepare a back to school checklist. This might need to cover things like PE kits or books, it’ll be easier than trying to remember everything first thing. Get your kids into the routine of getting things ready the night before too. It’ll prepare them for when they’re older. After all, it’s a good idea for grown-ups to do this as well.
Set the alarms
If you’re rushing to get out the door in the mornings you might have to set the dreaded machine 15 minutes earlier. Another tactic is to get alarm clocks for your kids too. It’ll definitely be a novelty for a while, especially if you choose a fun design. Here are some of the best alarm clocks for kids out this year. Let your kids pick, and make getting up “fun” for a while. Other tricks like leaving the alarm on the other side of the room tend to work as well.
Avoid screen time
Every parent has different opinions and rules for screen time. There can be negative effects of screen time in the morning, however. Phones, tablets, video games and other devices with inevitably slow everyone down. It might be a good time of day to ban or limit screen time. Save TV with breakfast as a treat for the weekends, and explain to your kids that first thing in the morning they need to be getting ready, not distracted.
Get them to create a weekly planner
It’s often better to get kids to fend for themselves. If you get them to create their own weekly planner, you’ll teach them to take more of an interest in organising their own lives. Giving them a bit of responsibility and raising your expectations of them could be very beneficial. Try and find ways to help your kids get organised without nagging. It’s difficult, but the more they understand the benefits of being organised on their own, the better. Of course, you can go over their weekly planner with them, but letting them have a little more responsibility rather than nagging can be more effective.
Tricks to glamming up fast
Now you’ve got the kids organised you need to spend the little time you have left getting yourself ready. There are few genius easy-application products on the market to help you glam up fast. Try dry shampoo for a quick freshen up, instant eyeshadow, or even these clip on Veneers to get the perfect smile in seconds. Plan your outfit the night before as well down to the accessories. This way you won’t have to get stressed out over what you’re wearing either.
Let them face the music
Sometimes it’s better to let older children face the consequences of being late. If they travel to school by themselves, let them get told off or punished for arriving late. Most likely, they’ll find this embarrassing and will be less inclined to make the same mistake again. As children get older they may start to feel that threats from their parents are a little empty, and school punishments such as no break time or detention could actually be more of a deterrent.
Reward good behaviour
At the same time as punishing them, it’s important to reward good behaviour as well. Let them know how much you appreciate them giving you a helping hand in the mornings. It’s up to you how you decide to reward them, as long as they recognise it as a thank you for good behaviour. It’s tough in the morning for kids as well and they don’t want to get out of bed any more than you do. With a few treats, you can make it more pleasant for everyone. Who knows, you might finally be able to achieve a stress-free morning routine.