How to: Master the Morning Routine

If your family has been having “one of those mornings” a little too often lately, it might be time to retool your before-school routine. Establishing just a couple of new habits with your child can make a big difference in their morning! Sally Supinski, Fay’s Director of Learning Services, shares tips for streamlining your child’s routine so they head off to school calm, organized, and ready to have a great day.

Complete a checklist the night before

Great mornings start with organized evenings. Give your child a checklist of tasks to complete before bed that includes choosing their clothing and packing their backpack with everything they need for the next day. Complete all time-consuming and decision-making tasks the night before.

Unplug for Bedtime

Make sleep hygiene a priority by removing all screens from your child’s room at least an hour before bedtime. Work backward from their wake-up time to set a bedtime that ensures they get enough sleep. A good night’s sleep will boost your child’s morning mood, ability to focus, and overall health.

No Snoozing on School Days

Pressing the snooze button is a bad idea for kids (and parents) during the school week. Stick to a morning wake-up time and save the snooze button for a weekend treat.

Time it

Time is at a premium in the mornings. If your child has trouble with time management, set appropriate chunks of time to accomplish each morning task and use a timer to keep them on track.