Getting Out of the House in the Morning - Six Tips for Easier Mornings

“Hurry up!”

“Would you just put your socks on?”

“Eat your breakfast!”

“Have you remembered to brush your teeth?”

“We’re going to be late - again!”

Any of this sound familiar?

Sometimes, it can feel like pulling teeth trying to get the children out the door on time in the mornings. 

We find ourselves constantly reminding them of what they still need to do, repeating ourselves, nagging them. 

We scream up the stairs for them to hurry up.  We despair when it’s almost time to go and they’re still slowly eating their breakfast or engrossed in playing. 

If this is you, maybe you find yourself asking nicely, asking nicely, asking nicely and then losing your composure, raising your voice and shouting out of frustration. 

Maybe you resort to bribing your child - “if you finish getting ready and there’s still time, you can watch a bit of TV”. 

Maybe you threaten them “if we’re late to school again, I’m never going to buy your favourite cereal”

And you find yourself wondering - does it HAVE to be this way?  EVERY.SINGLE.MORNING???!!!

There are two bits of good news here:

1. If this is mornings in your family, you are NOT alone.
2. It doesn’t have to be this way.

SIX TIPS FOR EASIER MORNINGS

Below are some suggestions for things you can do set yourself and your children up for success, help your mornings go smoother and ensure everyone gets out of the door on time.

1. CREATE A MORNING ROUTINE CHART

If your child is still learning what needs to be done in the morning, or knows but is not yet in the habit of making it happen (and on time!) then creating a morning chart can be really helpful. 

For younger children, this can be in pictures representing the actions they need to do - eg. Get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast, etc.  For literate children, you can obviously use words in addition to or instead of pictures.

You can create a chart with your children and ask them what needs to be on there so that it feels they have had input into the process and it’s a collaborative effort.  Talk to your child about the different actions that need to be done and whether they feel they still need some support in getting them done or if they are happy to do them independently.

2. WAKE UP EARLIER

If you usually get up at the same time as your children and you find yourself yelling at them to get ready as you’re getting out the shower, perhaps contemplate getting up 30 minutes earlier so that you have time to get ready yourself first.  That way, you are in a better position to help your child get ready and support them when they struggle. 

If you’re not a morning person and the thought of getting up earlier sends you into a panic, consider slowly shifting your bedtime earlier so that you still get sufficient sleep. 

If your children seem to be running out of time and you think it might be because they are too sleepy, consider gradually shift their bedtimes earlier so that they are getting sufficient sleep and able to wake up and get going in the mornings.

3. LAYOUT CLOTHES THE EVENING BEFORE

Does your child take forever to get dressed in the morning? 

Whether they need to wear a uniform or choose their own clothes, it can be very helpful for some children to lay out their clothes before they go to bed in the evening.  That way, despite any grogginess, they can still get dressed fairly easily and on their own in the morning.

If you have a younger child who really struggles with this, you could also consider putting them to bed in their clothes for the next day.   Yes, they will be a little crumpled but in the grand scheme of things, this doesn’t really matter for a younger child and it will save so much time the following morning.

4. LIMIT BREAKFAST CHOICES

If mornings feel hurried, then consider limiting the choices you give for breakfast. 

Uncooked items such as cereal could be put on the table the evening before, as well as the necessary tableware.  Yogurt could be pre-poured into individual bowls and put in the fridge the night prior.  Pancake mix or smoothie recipes can be pre-made and put in the fridge for the morning.

If your child isn’t a great breakfast eater, then consider making healthy muesli bars or pop some fruit salad into a snack box so they can eat on the go or a bit later when they’ve finally woken up.  Yes, breakfast is an important meal but we all can think of someone who just isn't ready to eat first thing in the morning - the trick is to work with their natural body rhythms.  You are the expert in your child - trust that you know what might work for them.

5. PACK BAGS THE EVENING PRIOR

Get your children into the habit of ensuring their school bags are packed and ready at the door as part of their evening routine so that there isn’t a rush to gather everything in the morning or ensure homework is appropriately packed. 

If your child takes lunch to school, you could leave their schoolbag by the kitchen so that it’s in an easy spot for the lunch to go in and then get picked up on the way out.

If your child is older and has to remember to bring special items such as gym kit, musical instruments or craft materials on specific days, write down or draw a weekly schedule that they can refer to themselves so that they can easily remind themselves what they need for the next day.  This also has the added benefit that you don’t need to keep all the information in your own head or remind them, and they develop their sense of independence and capability.

6. MAKE THINGS EASY

How can you make things easier for your child to get out of the door in the morning? 

If you live in a large house or apartment and their toothbrush lives in the bathroom furthest from the front door, consider moving their toothbrush and toothpaste to the bathroom closest to the front door instead.  That way, it becomes much easier for them to brush their teeth on the way out.

If your child is forever forgetting to get their socks from their drawer in their bedroom, consider keeping a box of socks by the front door so that they are easy to grab and put on before their shoes.

If your child doesn’t like to brush their hair, consider keeping a hairbrush near the breakfast table so they can do it at the same time as brushing their hair.

YOU KNOW YOUR OWN CHILD

The key here is to figure out what’s preventing your child from moving through their morning routine in an efficient way and then coming up with some creative solutions to support them through those hotspots. 

(Note:  Yelling at them, threatening them, shaming them or blaming them generally won't work in your favor long term - plus, do you really feel good about yourself when you do this?)

So if mornings are frustrating, slow, and/or painful in your family home, have a think about what are the repeated hotspots and using the suggestions above, brainstorm all the ways you might be able to come up with some creative, proactive, solutions for your own family.

There are no hard and fast “rules” for how to do this for your specific child and sometimes, the most creative and unconventional solutions (like keeping a box of socks by the door) are the ones that work the best!