Okay moms, summer is over, the kids are back in school and it’s a perfect time to get organized! The transition from laid back summer days to school day routines can be difficult for both parents and kids and weekday mornings can be especially brutal! Getting your kids fed, ready and out the door and at the same taking care of yourself can be overwhelming. There a few things we can do to ease the stress and make our mornings a little brighter…

Plan ahead.  What you do the night before can drastically change the morning mood. Have your children lay out their clothing the night before.  Everything from socks and shoes to headbands and hats. Pack school (and work) lunches to store in the fridge overnight.  Have your kids pack their backpacks and put them by the door to grab on the way out the next day.  Each night, have a “Ten Minute Tidy” where everyone pitches in to tidy the house for ten minutes.  It’s much easier to wake up to a clean house!

Create a morning routine schedule for each family member.  (We call these “Ready Freddy?” charts at my house).  For example: 1. Eat breakfast 2. Brush teeth  3. Shower 4.Get dressed etc…. For older kids, add time limits. This way they will have their own point of reference – other than you. They will remember what is expected of them, learn a little about time management and leave you to get yourself ready for the day!  It also helps them in the self-confidence department.

Lastly, take deep breaths!  Our mood as mommys will set the tone for the morning.  If we’re stressed and crabby, our kids will probably be too.  Try not to say things like “hurry up!” because, really, isn’t it stressful when someone says that to you?  Calm reminders of expectations and consequences will be more effective – yeah, yeah, easier said than done, but worth a try.

Go ahead and try some of these tips and let us know how it goes!  We’d also love to hear your ideas on how to eliminate (or at least reduce) morning chaos.