Tips for a Smooth Morning Routine with Kids

You know the feeling when everything feels like it’s going a mile a minute, and the clock is racing, and the kids are dispersed all over the house – one in their pajamas still and the other watching television – and you still haven’t even put make-up on… but somehow… you need to be out of the house in 10 minutes?

Yeah, that.

Getting everyone up and ready for the day is a whole production if you don’t go into it with a game plan. So put on your war paint and get ready to take on the morning routine like the mama beast you are.

#1: Bathe the night before. Even you, mama. Everyone should be squeaky clean before bed. Just trust me, it’s easier for everyone.

#2: Lay out outfits. Or let them choose what they want to wear the night before (if they insist, of course). Having clothes, shoes, underwear, and even socks laid out the night before takes a lot of guess and check work out of the next day.

#3: Pack bags, snacks, and lunches the night before. Everything that will need to be taken with you tomorrow should be wrangled up and packed away. Keep lunches in the fridge, and bags right near the door. If you are afraid to forget lunches in the fridge, toss your keys in there with them. No one’s going anywhere without those babies.

#4: Prep breakfast on Sundays. Yeah, you heard right. On Sundays. Bake a batch of blueberry muffins or cut up fruit salad. Make whatever you can ahead of time to have breakfast on the table as quickly as possible. Kiddos like pancakes? Go ahead and make them the night before and simply heat up come morning. Or you know… yogurt and cereal is always a good choice.

#5: Wake everyone up as early as necessary. Forget alarm clocks for kids, go in and wake them up yourself. Usher everyone out and into the bathroom to brush their teeth and wash their faces. For little ones, you may even want to make a “to-do” chart for their reference. This is a great way to keep distracted kiddos focused on what needs to be done. The mom bus is leaving in an hour, so just make sure you give them enough time!

#6: Get up earlier. Get up and dressed before everyone else. That way, you will only have to focus solely on getting them ready.

#7: Make a morning playlist. A playlist that everyone will love can get little people up and at it. It makes the morning routine fun!

#8: Show and tell. If your kiddo is old enough to tackle a morning task on their own, make sure you have them do it themselves. You can’t do everything, so teaching them as soon as possible will build healthy habits. No one wants their kids to be needy!

What’s your morning routine like? We want to learn some of your best moves!