How to Speed Up Your Mornings and Get The Kids Out The Door

You would be hard-pressed to find a family that does not struggle with finding a healthy balance for the morning routine. Dawdling children, forgotten items, and missed alarms can all contribute to a sense of chaos in the morning. Here are five ways that you can get your kids out the door quickly to speed up your morning routine.

Prepare Ahead of Time

A little planning and preparation can be your best friend when it comes to enjoying a seamless morning experience with your family. Savvy parents do as much as they can the night before. This includes making lunches, prepping breakfast, getting all backpacks ready to go, signing all school paperwork, and laying out clothes.

It is also helpful if you put older children in charge of some of the tasks. Perhaps your teenager can be the lead on making sure that all of the lunches have been made? Not only will this help you out, but it will also empower your kids with more responsibility.

Be Resourceful with Breakfast

One of the biggest time sucks of any morning is the time that you spend fueling up the family for the day ahead. You can make this process easier by re-thinking your breakfast options so that they provide a convenient eating experience. Making easy to grab and go items ahead of time can help to keep everyone on track in the morning.

Do not neglect your own needs when fueling up in the morning. Indulging in a strong cup of quality Kona coffee Hawaii will be an invaluable part of your morning breakfast schedule. Pair this cup of coffee with a healthy breakfast that delivers a good balance of carbs and protein to get you through the day.

Offer Rewards

Do not be above offering rewards to your children for a job well done in the morning. Rewards can be an extremely effective incentive when looking to motivate your children to get out the door on time.

Maybe you want to offer a trip to the ice cream store on Friday after school if the kids can get through each morning of the week without any hassle? Or maybe you reward your kids on a daily basis? For example, if they are in the car on time and ready to go then they can pick what music to listen to on the way to school. The goal is to provide your kids with a reason to do their part to help the morning rush to go as smoothly as possible.

Use Music

Music can be a great motivator, especially for younger children. If your kids are having a hard time staying on track, consider creating a playlist that specifically fits the time that you have for your morning routine.

For example, if you have one hour to get ready and out the door, make a playlist of your kids’ favorite songs that lasts that same amount of time. Your kids will soon associate certain deadlines with specific songs on the playlist. If they know that they need to be finished eating breakfast and on their way to brush their teeth by the time a particular song starts, they will be able to better keep track of meeting their own time targets. This will take the onus off of you as a parent so that you can focus on other tasks.

Stay Organized

An easy morning starts with a hefty dose of organization. The first rule to follow is to ensure that every item involved in your routine has a dedicated storage place. This will prevent you from running around looking for something that you need.

Having a morning to-do checklist posted in a visible area of the kitchen or bathroom for each child will also provide useful guidance for children who may get distracted. If your older children use a smartphone, make them get in the habit of charging it overnight so that they are ready to go when the alarm sounds.

It is unlikely that your mornings will always go off without a hitch. However, employing these five proven tips will certainly go a long way in helping your family to make this process go as smoothly as possible.

By Samantha Higgins