Good Morning Sunshine

Building a better morning routine

- Malia Jacobson

Back-to-school season brings new backpacks, fresh school supplies, and the return of the morning rush. We aim for a strong start to the day, only to often end up with school mornings snarled in stress. Thankfully, there’s a better way, but you may need a new approach. The key: choosing manageable, age-appropriate goals that build kids’ timemanagement skills and gradually increase their autonomy. Read on for expert-approved strategies aimed at calming the morning rush.

EARLY YEARS

Model Mornings Establishing a steady, manageable morning routine is good for everyone in the family, even kids who haven’t yet started school. Decide on your morning routine along with one or two morning self-care tasks for your child to practice, such as dressing, hair combing or putting on shoes. Some children may even be able to pour cereal and milk, butter toast or complete small morning chores like feeding pets. Just don’t expect speed or perfection.

Model the morning behavior you’d like your child to learn. If calm, pleasant mornings are your goal, adopt that attitude yourself.