What is all this fuss about mornings!?
Your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. This is an important concept to keep in mind when helping your children learn how to organise their activities and routines.
When it comes to developing a new skill or habit, consistency is key, and knowing what to expect every morning helps build CONFIDENCE and foster the feeling of BEING IN CHARGE.
Young children will set small personal goals once they learn how to manage their time. By helping them develop a routine, you are giving them the tools to organise their day more productively and teaching them the importance of planning ahead. But of course, it's not always that straightforward! Many attempts to establish a routine end up in meltdowns and even more chaotic mornings, which can be so tough on everyone involved.
But fear not! We have put together some ideas to help you out:
- The most important step: make sure your child GETS ENOUGH SLEEP.
- Prepare his/her morning routine THE NIGHT BEFORE.
- Get up before your child so that you have time for YOUR OWN MORNING ROUTINE. We can't teach a skill that we aren't familiar with.
- Make your child's morning schedule VISUAL.
- Be calm, focused and organised. ROLE MODEL IT FOR THEM.
- Last but not least, make WEEKEND MORNINGS SPECIAL AND FUN!
Start slowly and gradually build it up to ensure stress-free success! Adding a new step, a day or more at a time, will help your child find the schedule useful and helpful, rather than stressful and restrictive. Some mornings will be easier, some will not turn out so great, but hey, this is just part of life! :)
"My routine is here to serve as the building blocks for a successful day. It is a tool. I try not to get bogged down if I can't do it all."Carly Stein, the founder and CEO of the wellness brand Beekeeper's Naturals
One more thing to add! Besides all the educational benefits, a morning routine helps to create a STRONGER FAMILY BOND. Once the routine becomes a habit it will allow more time for FUN, PLAYFULNESS AND CONNECTION.