Picture this: you’re at the school gates on time (miracle!) with just long enough to run through a quick mental checklist for the kids. Breakfast? Check. School uniform washed and on? Check. Hair combed? Check. Teeth brushed? Check. Bag packed? Check. Packed lunch? Neatly packed but left at home on the kitchen counter…
We’ve all been there. No matter how hard you try, sometimes you can’t avoid the chaos that comes with school morning routines.
Getting kids ready for school can be a serious source of stress and anxiety for parents and kids alike! That’s why we’re revealing top tips from the experts on how to have a stress-free school morning and make the post-summer transition back to the classroom as easy as possible.
Establish a routine – and stick to it
Now, this may sound like an obvious one, but creating a proper routine for school can help make mornings feel calmer and more organised. Make the process as predictable as possible so it becomes second nature.
Nora Szanto, therapist and author of ‘The Celestina Code‘’, told us: “establishing morning routines is crucial because they create stability, reduce the levels of frustration and allow children to become more independent.”
We also spoke to London-based mental health and addiction recovery specialist, Ray Sadoun, who agreed: “without a morning routine, children can easily get themselves worked up before school” – something which every parent wants to avoid.
Let them design their own routines
Children of all ages can sometimes be stubborn when it comes to being told what to do. So, why not put them in charge?
Nora suggested to loosen the reins: “allow your children to become co-designers of their morning and bedtime routines.” She explained, “involving them in the process shows that their opinion matters; it fosters creativity, improves problem-solving skills and increases self-confidence. And the greatest upside? They are much more likely to follow the routine if they created it together with you.”
What is a good morning routine for school?
It’s important to understand that there is no one-size-fits-all school morning routine for high-school or primary-school children – every family is different.
Nora stated that a healthy routine should cover all the basics, such as: “the child waking up on their own with an alarm clock, making their bed, getting dressed, having breakfast with the family, brushing their teeth and leaving on time.”
Whatever order you agree with your child, make sure they maintain it and it’ll become easier over time.
Don’t underestimate the importance of the night before
Nora Szanto’s key piece of advice is: “it all starts the evening before. Having a strict bedtime routine is indispensable. With a sleep-deprived child, life can get very complicated. A good evening routine will give a head start for the next day.”
We couldn’t agree more. Ensuring that your kids get a good night’s sleep before school can make all the difference to their behaviour in the morning. Don’t let them stay up late watching TV and instead, set a strict bedtime – and stick to it! Limit distractions and wind things down beforehand by reading them a story to help them to drift off.
Prep makes perfect
Whoever said “practice makes perfect” clearly hadn’t ever been in charge of the school morning routine! Our mantra is “prep makes perfect”, which means that prepping as much as you can in advance will make the morning stress-free.
From organising their school bag and making a packed lunch (find healthy lunchbox ideas here), to laying out their clean uniform the night before, you’ll shave precious minutes off the pre-school routine come the morning. You’ll thank yourself for it on days where you’re running around like a headless chicken!
Encourage your kids to be independent
We know that school mornings can be made much harder with stubborn or misbehaving children – and you’re not alone. Ray Sadoun reinforced the fact that, “plenty of children misbehave in the mornings, which makes it more difficult to follow a routine. However, it is all the more important to provide structure to children who struggle with mornings.”
Instead of nagging, why not put the ball in their court and let them do some of the jobs themselves? This could mean getting dressed, brushing their teeth, eating breakfast or putting their school shoes on (or all of the above!). Our handy tip is to write down a school morning routine checklist onto a whiteboard and reward them if they tick off the tasks without being reminded.
Ray’s suggestion was to, “try to motivate your child to be productive in the morning by removing any distractions such as toys and the TV. If they get ready on time, reward them by allowing them to play with their toys or watch a cartoon.”
Schedule in some ‘you time’
Whether it’s just five minutes while the kids are eating their breakfast, penciling in some time for yourself during the madness of the morning can make the world of difference to how you feel.
Take your cuppa outside and listen to the birds, follow a five-minute guided meditation or read the newspaper – whatever it is, making time for yourself will help you gain clarity, feel grounded and get ready to tackle the day head-on.
Celebrate their first week back in style
The first week back at school can be tiring, not only for kids but for the whole family! What better way to celebrate surviving the week than a family night in? Grab your favourite snacks, get the board games or film agenda ready and start the weekend with a bang. That way, kids will be on their best behaviour during the week (in theory) as they look forward to Friday-night fun.
Check out our affordable range of school essentials online or pop into your local Wynsors store to grab yours! For more back-to-school advice, head over to our blog which is packed full of useful tips for parents.
