4 Tips on How to Get Your Child Out of the House in the Morning
Getting out of the house in the morning is a complete nightmare. Aside from having to get ready yourself you have to stay on top of your child because if you don’t they will get distracted. You constantly have to nag them about getting ready in the morning. Every morning they are expected to do the same things to get ready and out the door yet you have to keep reminding them what to do. Because of this you are always rushing out the door and worried about getting your child late to school or being late to work yourself!
Below are 4 tips to help get your child out of the house in the morning without the stress.
1. Preparation
Get as much as you can ready the night before so you don’t have to worry about it in the morning. Along with your child, pick out the clothes that they are going to wear the next day. Make sure that the clothes are out and ready to go for the morning of. Have your child shower at night to save time in the morning. Check your child’s backpack before they go to bed and make sure all the supplies they need are in their backpack, especially their homework. Often times, children complete their homework but forget to put it in their backpack and end up not turning it in. Keep their backpack by the door so you don’t forget it on your way out. Prepare your child’s lunch the night before so that you can just grab and go in the morning.
2. Good Night’s Sleep
Children need approximately 10 hours of sleep a night. Make sure your child goes to bed the night before at a decent time so that they get adequate sleep. This will make it easier for you to get them out of the bed in the morning. They will also be more energized and are also more likely to get ready quicker. Children who get a good night’s sleep wake up in a better mood which will decrease the possibility of them throwing a temper tantrum.
3. Morning Routine
Establishing a morning routine will ensure that things go as smoothly as possible and that you are not running out of the house in the morning. Get up 15-30 minutes earlier then you normally would so that you are not stressed about not having enough time to get you and your child ready in the morning. You may want to create a Morning Routine Chart that indicates, in order, each step that they have to complete to get ready in the morning (getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, etc.) For younger children, use pictures to represent each task. Post the chart in common areas of the house such as their bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Creating a chart will help your child stay focused. You may choose to insert the Morning Routine Chart in a sheet protector so that as the child completes each task they can check it off.
4. Remain Calm
Your anxiety may be up the roof and you may become frustrated at your child in the morning but try your best to remain calm. If you yell at your child the chances are they are going to yell back and this will lead into an argument. An argument is going to delay getting out of the house even more. Your child will not do what you ask them to do and you will both start your day on the wrong foot. Try to be as patient as possible especially in the beginning as your child is getting used to the new routine.
Janine Kelly, MSW, LCSW, RPT, CATP, ADHD-CCSP, CCATP-CA is a Registered Play Therapist, Certified EMDR Therapist, and Perinatal Mental Health Therapist in Middlesex, NJ. Janine specializes in childhood anxiety, childhood OCD, childhood trauma, and supporting children who experience neurodivergence such as ADHD and Autism. She also specializes in pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders such as anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, depression, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
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