Making the Most of Your Mornings

EDIT for middle school

Most of us would agree that mornings are a particularly tough time of the day. It involves a rapid succession of transitions and multiple tasks all to be completed promptly in order to get our days started. While mornings can be difficult for adults, they can be especially difficulty for children, particularly those with underlining learning and attentional issues. The following tips and strategies can be helpful to parents and caregivers in ensuring the chaos of a morning is managed appropriately, and your child is starting off their day well.

• Develop your routine.
  • A consistent routine for your mornings is helpful. Follow the same set of steps, in the same order and it becomes automatic. Do you want your child to have breakfast first and then change or change first? Is there medication to be taken? When does that happen in the routine?
  • Involve your child in these discussions.
• Preparing for the morning the night before.
  • Pick out a weather appropriate outfit for the next day.
  • Pack lunch/snacks the night before.
  • Take a bath or shower the night before.
  • Remind your child if there is a change in the usual routine for the following day.
  • Check that all books, homework, activity materials and changes of clothing are in your child’s book bag and by the door.
    • Keep school materials needed in the same spot each day.
    • Consider charging your child's phone near their backpack. This may resolve late night cell phone use.
• Give yourself extra time.
  • Carve out enough time in the morning so that you and your child can complete your morning routines at a relaxed pace. Often times we only leave the minimum amount of time needed to get ready for the day. If something unexpected happens, we find ourselves rushing and running behind.
  • Allot extra time in case of an unexpected occurrence so your child will not be late for school or feel stressed.
  • Consider setting intermittent timers or alarm to help you stick to your morning routine, ex. an alarm that signals "15 minutes until the bus comes." (That might be the signal to get shoes and coat on!)
• Wake up on the right-side of the bed
  • Try to make early mornings as pleasant and calming an experience as possible. Substitute loud alarms with calm music, perhaps even your child’s favorite song. A more pleasant wake-up doesn’t mean it has to be longer—just gentler.
  • Consider use of an alarm clock that is not a cell phone, as this would allow the phone to be kept outside of your child's bedroom.
  • Place the alarm clock in a location in which your child has to get out of bed to turn it off.
• Keep a consistent schedule each morning.
  • Try to follow the same schedule every day, before and after school. Do the same activities and tasks in the same order each day. This will help to normalize the morning routine for your child. It may look something like this:Wake, brush teeth, wash face, eat breakfast, get dressed, review day’s schedule, leave for school. Some children benefit from having a visual reminder such as a checklist, of the activities and their order.
• Reinforce finishing morning routines on time or finishing early.
  • If your child is having particularly difficult time following a morning routine in a timely manner, consider introducing reinforcement system. If your child is able to get ready in the morning with time to spare, allow time to play a game of his or her choosing.
  • Or, you can have your child earn points that can be redeemed for rewards determined by parents and guardians.
  • Establish consistent consequences for being late such as being "docked" part of an allowance.

While mornings may not be your favorite part of the day, following these suggestions could make them a little more bearable!