But it doesn’t have to be.
If you set routines and do some preparation, your family’s mornings will be smooth sailing.
This post originally appeared onA Fine Parent.
You know the easiest way to get thestressout of parenting?
Find the one situation that constantly causes friction and figure out how to make it go smoother.
The rest will simply follow suit.
To us, it was the mornings.
Here are a few things to keep in mind whencreating a less chaotic morning routinefor you and your kids.
It seems obvious and we’ve all heard it before, but theimportance of sleepcannot be overstated.
Are your kids getting enough sleep?
Here is ahandy chartthat breaks down how much sleep kids need depending on their age.
It will just make everything easier in the morning if the more arduous tasks are already taken care of.
Here’s what you should consider doing the night before:
Prepare breakfast the night before.
I’m surprised that more parents don’t already do this!
Pack lunches.Have you tried bento boxes?
Young kids love them and they keep things interesting, not to mention relatively easy to fix.
There are tons of simple ideas onpinterestand one of my favorite sites for lunch ideas isWeelicious.
Tip: Assign a place for your briefcase/keys/wallet/phone as well.
And personally, I find a few precious moments for coffee.
Just like children,adults benefit from a regular routine.
Consider creating a morning ritual that helpsyoustart your day off well before your kids even wake up.
This will help you recognize any glitches or perhaps the need to re-order some of the steps.
The “when… then” approach works wonders in our house.
It is great because it doesn’t really give the child any other options.
You come at it with the attitude that it doesn’t really matter to you either way.
Just be sure to pick something that you might stay firm with, and don’t cave.
Otherwise you will render the “when… then” approach useless.
), take a stab at really focus on your attitude and use a calm voice.
One trick that we have found especially helpful is to almost whisper when you find yourself getting frustrated.
This will help you remember touse a calm voicerather thanraising your voice or yelling.
What more can you want from life?
Image adapted fromIryna DobrovynskaandTatsiana Tsyhanova(Shutterstock).
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