The Secret to a Smooth Morning Routine

By far the #1 question I get is, “How do I have a smooth morning routine?” 

“I can’t get the kids to move.”

“We’re always late out the door because we can’t find their shoes.”

“The kids don’t get up on time.”

“The kids won’t finish their breakfast in a timely fashion.”

“They won’t get off the TV when I say time to go.”

“I feel like I’ve been through a war (and lost) by 9 AM.”

And the reason moms are so desperate to have a smooth morning routine is because whether you are homeschooling or taking your children to school, the morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. 

Before we began homeschooling, I was packing up six children to take three of them to school.  Some days I dropped them off regretting how the morning went and the drill sergeant that I had turned into.

But I eventually learned a few secrets to having a smooth morning routine where the children got ready on their own while I was able to take care of the littles who needed my help.

It all begins the night before.

If You Don’t Have a Plan, You Plan to Fail

I can almost hear through the computer screen, “Oh, I can’t do that!”  Well, if you’ve decided you can’t, then you won’t.  But I’m here to tell you that stretching ourselves and working hard to implement tools that don’t come naturally to us is where we find the gold.  We are often our worst enemy by saying we can’t. Motherhood is about challenging ourselves and when we challenge the “can’ts” we often find we can.

So, for the next week, make the decision that every night before you go to bed you’ll prepare for the next day. See how things work.  You may decide that it isn’t the ‘secret’ you were hoping for.  You may also decide that it is a game-changer.

What to Do the Night Before – the Secret to a Smooth Morning Routine

For the Children

• Make sure the kitchen is cleaned up before anyone leaves the dining area.  My husband and I worked out an agreement that I cooked and he would work with the children after dinner to clean up.  I always took 20 minutes and went up for a hot bath.  I HIGHLY suggest this.  If you don’t like baths, go pray, read a book, or just be quiet in your room for 20 minutes.  Work with your husband on this explaining your needs and that everyone (including him) needs to take responsibility for dinner. 
• Before the kids get into their bedtime routine, have them all pitch in together (or use zones in your house) to pick up the main living areas.  There isn’t anything more demoralizing in the morning than getting up to a messy house.
• Start the ‘getting to bed’ routine on time with teeth brushed, room picked up, and dirty clothes in the laundry basket.  (A laundry basket in each child’s room gets them in the habit of putting their clothes in it from the age of 2!)
• Lay out the clothes for tomorrow – including shoes and socks!  If you let them make this decision, then no switcheroo in the morning.  We had uniforms for our homeschooling which made life SO much easier!
• Once the light is out, no more getting up and asking questions.  If your children realize that your no means no, they will stop the constant asking and complaining.  Ignore their complaints letting them know it is bedtime and no more questions for the day.  Some may think this is insensitive when, in fact, it is charitable to teach limits to your children.  “Unless you’re bleeding or dying” was always imposed in hour house

For You

• If you homeschool, make sure the next day’s assignments are clearly written in their assignment notebook.  I always filled in the week of assignments on Sunday, so they were done, and I didn’t have to think about them anymore.   
• If your children go off to school, make sure THEY have their backpack ready to go.  They need to take responsibility for this – you are just the monitor when they are young.  By 2^nd grade, they should be able to do this on their own or suffer the consequences if they don’t have everything they need for school the next day.  Adapt accordingly for children who may need a check list or your visual check. Our job is to nurture independence not assume they cannot do it and do it for them.
• Take five minutes (or less) to visualize what the schedule for the next day will look like. 

The first goal should be prayer.  When will you pray for at least 15 uninterrupted minutes?  And if your answer is, “I don’t have time”, then you need prayer more than breakfast! 

We always have time for what we truly value.  You have time.  Make it happen.  Trust me – I’m an old mom who has tried every which way to have a peaceful, happy day with my children.  The days I prayed were the days I didn’t lose my mind.

I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.

Phil 4:13

• Know what you must get accomplished (1-3 goals), what you’d like to get accomplished (1 goal), and when you will take at least 20 minutes for yourself.  Every mom needs to breathe alone for 20 minutes.  Now, sometimes those 20 minutes included cuddling alone with my infant in the quiet of my room.  They were the sweetest!
• Start your ‘getting to bed’ routine on time – room picked up, and dirty clothes in the laundry basket.  Some moms find that taking showers the night before helps in their morning routine.

The Morning

Set Your Routine

• Have a set time you get up – earlier than the kids so you are ready to go. Turn around immediately and make the bed. 
• Shower, hair, and makeup – you’ll feel like a million bucks!
• If you can, do your prayer then before they get up.
• Attend to your goals for the day.

Set the Kids’ Routine

• Have a set time the kids get up.  Turn around immediately and make their bed.  
• Make breakfast easy for them to make and clean up independently.  (Have clearly articulated consequences if they don’t clean up after themselves – and enforce the consequences!)
• No playing – they go brush their teeth, get dressed, put pj’s away.
• Ready to start school or get in the car.

No TV

No tech of any kind for you until after the kids are doing their schoolwork or have been taken to school.  Seriously, the stress that tech puts on families is mind-boggling.  And the biggest problem is that families don’t even see it.  It’s like the frog in the pot of water.  You put him in and slowly raise the temperature of the water.  He never sees it coming, but pretty soon he’s cooked!  Take the stress of tech out of your home!

My #1 piece of advice is to do what works for you.  You don’t have to follow anyone else’s plan, but the important thing is to have a plan.  Tweak and change whatever your plan needs as your circumstances change.

…..and don’t forget you are the boss and the children depend on you claiming that role with love and consistency.

Take care-

Janet

P.S. Do you have any tips for a smooth morning routine? Come join our new Facebook group and share your thoughts and questions! You can join HERE

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