Proven 8 Ways to Make School Morning Routines Easier

Table of contents:

• School Morning Routine- Why We Need One

• School Morning Routine- Simple Strategies

1. Wake Up Early

2. Do Morning Exercise and Meditation

3. Sleep Early Too

4. Plan, Organize, and Prepare

5. Delegate

6. Encourage Positivity

7. Provide Clear Instructions

8. Encourage Continuously

9. Minimize Distractions

• Final Thoughts

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The lack of a well-planned and well-set school morning routine can create problems during the school year. A child whose school mornings start on a frantic note cannot be an attentive, energetic, and positive learner through the school year.

Many of us tend to pay less attention to shaping a constructive morning routine for children. What we fail to realize is that negligence here can have a direct negative impact on the learning abilities of a kid. While we can fill their lives with yoga for kids, reading books, and exercises, we cannot expect optimal performance without discipline.

A child needs an organized, disciplined, and well-planned start to every day. It will ensure that he/she goes to school well-rested, well prepared, and well-fed; all of which are requisites of a good learner. If you need help establishing a good school morning routine for your child, I am here with great ideas for you.

Keep reading below!

School Morning Routine- Why We Need One

One cannot understate the importance of a proper school morning routine in a child’s life. When you ensure an organized, calm, and positive start, it will help you and your children to stay positive throughout the day. It will also make you better and more competent achievers.

A school morning routine will help the children know what’s important and healthy at the start of their day. But what happens if you don’t establish a routine for the school year? It will result in more haphazard and stressful mornings, more late entries at school, and more sour moods.

A routine ensures that you’re waking up, getting ready, having a hearty breakfast, and then heading to school in time. You won’t suffer rushed rituals or forgetting essentials on the kitchen counter. It will ensure that you don’t have to over-speed to reach before school starts.

More importantly, it will ensure that your child is the most positive, cheerful, enthusiastic, and healthy student at school.

School Morning Routine- Simple Strategies

The first mornings of the school year are the prime time to lay the grounds for a stellar routine. If you don’t set an efficient plan in place then, you’re going to have to struggle to manage it in the later days.

Hence, the best approach is to streamline a school morning routine right during the first days of the school year and then simply follow it diligently.

Here’s what to do:

1. Wake Up Early

Yes, we know it sounds too clichéd but waking up early is still evergreen and the most successful rule of life. You’ve surely heard the saying; early to bed early to rise, keeps a man healthy and wise.

Early starts of the day do make a child healthy and wise. This is especially true when he/she has had plenty of time to rest, bathe, dress up, eat and then head to school.

Waking up early does not mean taking an entire hour of sleep out of your routine. It only needs a little tweaking, such as going to bed 15-20 minutes early in the night and then waking up 15-20 minutes early too.

The tiny adjustment will not feel like a big change but the extra time will be a great cushion to overcome early morning hiccups. It will also save you from the many panic attacks flustered parents suffer when they’re running late.

Another helpful tip is for parents to wake a little earlier than the kids. It would give them time for a cup of java first. With that done, they can do a better job at getting the kids ready, preparing breakfast, and the dozen other must-dos.

2. Do Morning Exercise and Meditation

After you are done with after wake-up morning routine it is time for a short 10-15 min exercise. It can be stretching, yoga, or fitness. It really depends on what you and your child like more. This will allow blood to flow to the brain which will entail a list of benefits like:

• Increased alertness

• Better mood

• More energy

• Better focus

Also do not forget to meditate and imagine your day from the moment you wake up to the moment you will go to bed. Send positive energy towards your day.

3. Sleep Early Too

You can’t wake up early if you don’t sleep early. Sufficient rest is the most crucial factor in the well-being of both adults and kids. In planning a stellar school morning routine, give plentiful sleep critical importance.

Make sure there is a set bedtime for everyone on school days and let the weekends remain the only days for exceptions.

Here’s a tip: We know the pandemic and new work from home and online schooling culture must have changed your schedules. If it’s time to be heading back to school and work in your region, establish the sleep early and wake up early rule from today. By the time school reopens, you will all be settled into your original schedule.

4. Plan, Organize and Prepare

Planning, organizing, and preparing ahead of time is the key to having a successful school morning routine. It may require a little extra work on your part but trust us.

Once you line up things a little proactively, you and the children will enjoy a stress-free school year throughout.

You can start by preparing a weekly schedule for what your child needs for each school day. Here are some common items that are a must-have for every student:

• A library bag on a certain day of the week

• Sports uniform for sports classes during the week

• Items for show and tell

Once you outline the essentials, you can then turn your attention to the other regular things and activities your child needs to prepare for. With these lists in hand, try to prepare everything possible the night before. Some of these could be as follows:

• Making lunches

• Meal prep for breakfasts

• Laying out school/sports uniforms

• Pack your child’s bag too if they’re not old enough to do it themselves. If they are though, just run an eye over the contents to make sure they’ve packed everything they will need at school.

Another great way of establishing an organized routine is to list down important things to do for your children, in their bedroom. Here is what the list should look like:

• Wake up on time (Would be a good idea to set the alarm yourself each night, by their bedside)

• Get out of bed

• Brush your teeth, wash and get ready

• Have a hearty and nutritious breakfast

• Clean your teeth again

• Take a quick look inside your bag to ensure you have all you will need at school

• Leave the house on time

5. Delegate

We know as parents we all tend to micromanage everything so that the kids don’t have to do much. However, while it’s wonderful to pamper them, you must also remember that you could be spoiling them for life.

Rather than letting them develop the habit of depending on you for everything, start delegating responsibilities.

Consider your child’s skills and potentials and delegate what you think they can handle easily. Is your daughter a meticulous packer? Let her pack her own bag following the timetable each night. Is your son fond of picking out his clothes? Let him line up his uniform, school clothes, socks, and shoes before bed every night.

6. Encourage Positivity

Remember to start each morning on a positive note with your child. We know good vibes and good moods are infectious and if you practice it, your child will catch up too.

Hence, share something good when you see your child every school morning.

Perhaps a comment like, “Wow, you look so fresh and well-rested. I feel great too. Looks like a great day ahead!”

7. Provide Clear Instructions

Assume the role of a leader without being too overbearing. Remember, your child will be looking up to you always so it’s important that you provide clear and calm instructions.

This way, it will make it easier for the little ones to follow the routine and gain confidence in following the set tasks day by day.

8. Encourage Continuously

We know we have been stressing the importance of establishing a school morning routine. However, at the same time, we want you to remember that they’re children after all and it’s a routine, not an iron-rod rule.

Give the children time to adjust and settle as they need. Pitch in wherever and whenever you see them struggling to make it easier initially. As the children continue to grow and move to higher grades, make them more independent.

Expand their responsibilities as per their age, such as asking your 5-year old to put his/her lunchbox in the bag. Your 8-year old could dress up on their own, clear their breakfast dishes, etc.

9. Minimize Distractions

A successful school morning routine is one where you leave all the unnecessary activities and distractions out. For example, there is no need for televisions, gaming consoles, iPods, or other devices in the morning or before bedtime.

You can save screen time as a treat for the weekends but during the school week, it is best to minimize distractions. This will also ensure the children will sleep on time and wake up on time, along with all the other essential tasks.

Final Thoughts

A school morning routine is a key to a successful learning journey of a child. It also ensures that the little ones will grow up to be disciplined, healthy, organized, and productive individuals in the future.

With a few simple strategies, you can ensure that your child starts each school morning on a positive, energetic, and enthusiastic note.