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Encouraging Heroes. You can be one too.

We all have those mornings when we are rushing to get our kids to the bus stop, get ourselves to work or our babies to day care.  We make lunches in a hurry, brush hair and tie shoes in a frenzy and yell at our kids to get moving.  When we are short on time, our patience tends to be short as well.  Stressful mornings are no way to start a day, and these tips and tricks can help you get your morning off to a good (and peaceful) start.

Pack Lunches the Night Before

One of the easiest tricks to save time in the mornings in to have lunches packed the night before.  Bag up snacks and if possible make sandwiches.  Anything that needs to be prepared that morning set out on the counter.  Have lunch sacks lined up and cold packs in the freezer.  Mornings will run much smoother when lunches are premade and ready to go in the backpacks.

Choose Outfits for the Week

A great investment for every child’s closet is a hanging closet organizer.  Stores such as Walmart sell canvas or plastic organizers for as little as ten dollars.  With usually six shelves, these are ideal to set out clothes for the week.  Label each shelf Monday through Friday, leaving one shelf on bottom for an alternate outfit in case of weather changes.  On Sundays, check the weather and then make six outfits, one for each shelf.  If your child is old enough have them do this as part of their weekly chores.

When you have outfits ready to go for the morning, you are saving time and patience.  One of the biggest challenges with school aged children is the dreaded “What do I wear?” every morning.  Save yourself the squabbles and set out clothes beforehand.

Set Shoes by the Door

Along with outfit arguments, every family has found themselves hunting for shoes with minutes to spare before it is time to leave.  Kids have a knack for leaving them in the yard, in the bathroom, under beds and in basements.  Designate an area for shoes, preferably right by the door you use most often.  Remind your kids to remove shoes when coming inside and to set them by the door.  Not only will you have less dirt and grass clippings in your house, you will less to worry about when the clock is ticking every morning.

Homework and School Necessities

After your kids finish their homework, have them place it in their backpacks for school the next day.  If they have library, make sure they pack up their library book.  The same goes for anything needed for music, physical education or after school activities.  If they need a note for school write it and place it in their folder.  The more they have ready to go the night before, the less chaos you will have before you have to get out the door.

Earlier Bedtimes

If your mornings are made more frantic by children oversleeping, it may be time to move their bedtimes back.  Along with happier, well rested kids, you can say goodbye to dragging sleepy kids out of bed just in time for breakfast and the school bus.

The trick to more peaceful mornings is preparing as much as possible the night before.  Sign permission slips, talk about what the kids should wear and have lunch money ready to go.  The more you leave for last minute, the more stressful and frantic your mornings become.   Just a few simple changes can help you say goodbye to morning madness, and hello to happier mornings with your kids.

About the Author: Mikki Hogan is a proud mother of eight who enjoys helping other parents through her own personal experiences. Whether sharing that trusted BOB Revolution stroller review, recommending healthy recipes kids enjoy or a B Ready review for active parents Mikki aims to help others like her enjoy their families in today’s hectic lifestyle.

Earnest Parenting: help for parents who want calm mornings.

Image courtesy of Alan Cleaver via Creative Commons license, some rights reserved.