Greenstone EDUCATION | 13
february 2018
Morning
madness?
Getting kids up and ready for the day is a sure-fire stress-builder and a typical cause of
morning madness. If you find yourself in a battle each morning, it is time to work on
streamlining your children’s routine.
I
t is important for children and teens to get enough
sleep and to be sent off with a healthy breakfast
and access to a nutritious lunch. What can parents
do to start each day in a positive fashion? Here are
seven ideas.
Establish a morning routine
Parents unwittingly cause morning madness by not
establishing that the routine is a family requirement and
not an option. A non-negotiable routine must be created,
with the consequences discussed and determined (i.e.
If you don’t get up on the first call, your bedtime is 15
minutes earlier tonight). Any wiggle room can cause
meltdowns and tantrums.
Only do what’s really important
Some parents unwittingly set their kids up to fail with
their morning routines by assigning unexpected chores
and duties. This can result in whining and a mad rush
to end up on time. Consider creating a checklist of what
absolutely must be done each morning, then schedule the
rest for later in the day. If you want your child to make
his bed every morning, then make that a requirement.
However, cleaning the cat box might wait until a child
gets home.
Choose and set out clot