Hard Time Getting Kids Ready in the Morning? Here’s How to Battle it

You're always rushing to get them to school and make it to work on time, leaving you only a few minutes to spare. This can be such a hard time getting your kid/kids ready for school in the mornings.

There is a way to make the mornings run smoother. But why are they so difficult in the first place?

Your kid takes their time getting ready for school:

They crawl out of bed and can’t decide on what to wear. They try on 3 different outfits before they decide on the first one that they picked out! Then they drag their feet to get the rest of their duties done in the bathroom (showering, brushing teeth, combing hair, etc).

They are too tired to get out of bed:

Your kid expresses that they are just too tired to get out of bed. You insist that they get up anyway and you go to get ready for work yourself. When you go back to check on them they are still in bed. Now you have to rush to help them get ready for school as well as finish getting yourself ready.

They take forever to eat their breakfast:

You make them oatmeal every morning before school until they decide that they want something different. So you struggle with your kid trying to suggest other things for them to eat, and they don’t want any of it.

This cuts into the time that you guys need to be out the door because you still have to wait on them to finish eating.

Here’s what you can do for smoother mornings when getting kids ready.

Remain calm throughout the whole time:

As you are rushing to get yourself and the kids ready in the morning you can get a bit frustrated. This reflects in your voice and tone when talking to your kid, who notices and acts out because of it.

Two negatives don’t make a positive. You have to stay calm and talk to your kid in a manner that makes them comfortable. Encourage them to pick up the pace if needed, and instead of shutting down they will understand and work with you.

Plan ahead:

This saves so much time! Be sure to have everyone’s clothes laid out the night before so that everyone will know what they are wearing. Take showers or baths at night to shave time spent in the bathroom.

Pack any lunches and put them in the fridge ready to go so that you won’t have to worry about having to make them in the morning.

Routine is key:

Just like with adults, if kids know what they have to do every single day, then there won’t be a need to think about it. As a reminder, you can make a little note in their bathroom or room with their tasks each morning for school.

You can even put them in order so that it’s easier for them. For example, if you have to be out of the door by 8 am you can plan everything for an hour ahead. 7:00 am is wake-up time. Be dressed by 7:15 and in the bathroom to brush teeth and comb hair.

7:30 is breakfast time and finishing up whatever else needs to be finished. If you have multiple kids, then have each kid do different tasks and then they switch after the time window.

You may even have a few minutes to spare which is great. Getting a routine together and doing it every day creates a habit for everyone, making it second nature.

Be sure to stay consistent so that everyone can stay on track. The kids will know what to do every morning to get ready for school. This will help the start of the day run smoother for you all.