TIPS FOR SMOOTHER BACK-TO-SCHOOL MORNINGS
Mornings in my home have fluctuated over the years from being hellish, to relatively smooth, to somewhere in between. There’s 4 boys in and out of my home of varying ages, and lets just say the years when there was a tiny toddler, a pre teen, and two scrappy 7 and 8 year olds all going to different schools (one of them mama school) were not years I am super proud of in terms of getting out the door with ease!
Around 4 years ago when my smallest was 3 I decided I would work hard and make some real, not-so-easy, changes with the goal in mind to change these crazy mornings so my family could start our day off with a bit more calm and a bit less crazy. Don’t get me wrong this is still (and always will be) a work in progress!
Here are a few practical tips, some not so easy to implement, that have resulted in real change in the morning routine that perhaps you could benefit from trying:
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF SLEEP! Get your kids and yourself to bed on time. Kids need a lot of sleep and if they don’t get enough, they become chronically exhausted, angry, irritable and irrational, (just like we do!) making mornings even more difficult than they already are. A well rested kid will behave entirely differently than a sleep deprived kid (we all know this!) so one of the the most important things you can do for you family is to be firm about bed time and STICK TO IT despite the whines and battles that come from the peanut gallery. Remember that you are in charge, not them, and often Mama does know best. A guide is as follows:
Ages 3-5 years old need 11-13 hours of sleep.
Ages 5-10 yrs old need 10-11 hours
Adolescents need 8.5-9.5 hours
Adults need at least 7-8!
Along with this is to get yourself to bed on time too! It may feel like a drag to turn the lights off by 10:30, but in my experience, if I don’t get at least 7 hour of sleep most nights I am also irritable, less patient, and not a happy camper. More coffee is not the answer :)
2. STOP FIGHTING ABOUT BREAKFAST. Find easy, manageable breakfasts that your kids will actually eat without a battle. It is not a great way to start every morning with fighting about eating eggs. Your kid hates eggs? Give it up. I do NOT advocate letting the kids rule you or being a sucker BUT there is a balance. My entire thing is eating well and making sure my kids eat well, but I had to loosen up a little on mornings and prioritize peace over a full, well rounded breakfast when each of my boys hit certain ages where they really rebelled against it and pushed for more independence. (Think pre teen!) So, be creative with food ideas! Try:
heathy toast with peanut butter (and jelly!)
healthy no sugar cereal with agave (think cheerios)
healthy plain yogurt with fruit and honey
fruit and nuts
any kind of eggs (hard boiled are so easy!)
no sugar SMOOTHIES!!!!!
overnight oats with honey
salad! (my kid loves tomatoes and cucumbers)
frozen whole grain waffle
peanut butter on banana
Think out of the box: Make a deal with them saying they can choose what they eat (within reason) for 3 mornings if you choose for 2 mornings. Or let them skip it a few mornings if they will eat full ones the other mornings, etc.
The point is to not get into a constant power struggle over food and therefor start your day angry with your kids and your kids angry at you. Chronic fights are as toxic to your soul as sugar is to your body :)
3. Try to get as much of the dreaded kids LUNCHES ready the night before. I hate making the kids lunches. For real. I am not sure why I hate it so much, but I really hate it. I knew for so many years that it would be better for me to make them the night before, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was tired. The kids were finally asleep or at least quiet. I was actually hanging out with my husband who doesn’t get home until late. I had just finished cooking and cleaning up dinner. I mean, there are a million reasons why making 4 lunches at 8:30 pm did not appeal to me. BUT the mornings were hell and I felt panicked, rushed, and pissed making them like a short order cook at 6:45AM. So I made myself try doing it the night before for one month. And then it turned into many months, and then years. It is SO MUCH better for the mornings if the lunches are nearly made the night before!!! This is what I do routinely the night before:
get out all tupper ware that will be used and the tops to match (sounds easy but isn’t)
wash all fruit
slice all veggies
bag up all trail mix, crackers, whatever
place in the lunchbox everything that can be out of the fridge and leave them open on the counter
prepare mentally whatever needs to be cooked or heated up the next morning and have those pots/pans ready to go
YES IT’S A DRAG. But its a drag either way, and this is way less of a drag and makes everyone in my home happier! Doing this the night before made mornings SO MUCH easier I cannot even begin to tell you. My advice is if you’ve been fighting doing the lunches the night before, give it a shot!
4. GIVE MORE HUGS. Ok so this sounds a bit cheezy but it helps. And it’s easy. when you feel yourself getting stressed, hug your kid or your partner if you have one. When your kid isnt getting his shoes on and you have asked a million times, hug her and ask her again with a hug. When your teenager is about to leave the house and slam the door, go hug him and tell him to have a good day. It sounds like nothing but a little love goes a long way and sets everyones day off on a better foot.
Good luck with this back to school month! Hope some of these tips helps make mornings in your home a little easier for you and your families.
xoxoxo katia
Hello! I’m Katia…
I’m a certified, Integrated Health Coach, mother of four and personal trainer. I specialize in helping women and families find more balanced, healthier & happier ways to live in this hectic modern world through personalized, down-to-earth, sustainable, health programs designed specifically for you. I offer knowledge to realize the full nutritional power of foods, tools become less stressed, and strategy to feel stronger both inside and out in a lasting way. You will learn to successfully habit shift while given accountability, support and information to form a healthier lifestyle that serves you, others and the planet. Programs range in length starting at 4 months. Contact me!