Organize your morning with your child's help

Have a happy breakfast

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Getting ready in the morning

Help your children help you in the morning. It’s important to start your day not only as efficiently as possible, but as pleasantly as possible. Sometimes as parents we make the mistake of not getting our children’s help.

No matter what the age of your child they can help get ready in the morning. Now when I say “no matter what age” I am actually talking about children past the toddler stage. Just to clarify your itty bitty baby will not be helping you out. Though you will be amazed at what your young children can do.

Families can have any where between 20 minutes and 2 hours before leaving the house in the morning. Break tasks down to 15 minute increments or less. Shorter tasks would include washing faces or brushing teeth.

One of the keys to having your children help out is the list. Use check boxes for all ages so they can check off what they get done and start the day with a feeling of accomplishment. If your child is younger try starting with just a couple things on their list and pictures showing what they’re to do.

Break it down to the basics:

1. What needs to get done?

2. Who can do it?

3. How much time do you have in the a.m.?

4. What can be done the night before?

The basics include getting up, getting dressed, brushing teeth, having breakfast, and making lunches. My daughters have over an hour in the morning so they also practice piano and train their dogs for 15 minutes each. One of them also ices her ankles and the other has free time. Extras could also include reviewing a spelling list, or making a bed.

With breakfasts and lunches we’re trying to build patterns. Once the child has a pattern to follow it’s simply a matter of doing it. With breakfasts they have limited choices of cereal and milk or toast and milk. More choices take more time to ponder, find, and organize. When my girls started helping make their lunches they had a list to go by 1 fruit, 1 veggie, 1 milk product, 1 juice and so on.

Does your child need to have their outfit laid out the previous evening? How much time do they have? How quickly can they pick an outfit? The night before you, or they, or both of you together can make lunches. Have and instil an expectation that they will do their part. Children need responsibility and options.

Do make sure you have everything you need ready for the next day. Get used to doing a short evening check at first so they know what they’re to do and they have everything they need to do it. Having patterns includes having places by the door for shoes, coats, and backpacks to avoid any last minute “Mom where is my…”