Morning Routines Frame the Day

Every parent who has ever had to get kids up for school on a regular basis knows full well how challenging that can be. Before children get into the routine of school, just getting up each morning can be a battle. But it is a battle that can be won, simply by creating – and being consistent with – a morning routine.

Framing the Day with Good Behavior

A morning routine can help your child get off to a good start. A routine provides predictability and lets your child know what is going to happen that day. Rather than endure daily morning chaos and battles, set a positive tone for the day. And one of the easiest ways you can get your child started on a morning routine is to use one of our morning routine charts. When you are creating a morning routine, have your child provide input, as well. Together, come up with a list of what needs to be done each morning. Some of the things you may want to feature on your morning routine chart include:

• A specific time to get up. Children in elementary school are old enough to pick out an alarm clock and to start learning to get up on their, each day.
• Making her bed, so that her room stays clean and so that, at night, she can crawl into a nice, neat bed.
• Getting dressed, as well as taking care of her morning hygiene, such as washing hands, brushing teeth, etc.
• Eating a healthy breakfast, followed by cleaning up after herself.
• Getting ready for school or whatever activities may lay ahead for the day.

Smooth Sailing with Morning Routines

While individual morning routines may vary from person to person, and from family to family, the benefits of having one will be shared by all. We all need to get used to the idea of getting up, following a routine, and getting on with our day. The sooner you can help your child grasp this skill, the better off she will be. The morning rush and chaos will be gone, as everyone knows what needs to be done and moves toward the goal of accomplishing each task in the routine.