How to improve your morning school routine
Before we know it, Back to School season will be upon us. With the end of summer holiday and the start of the school year, it becomes challenging to get your children into a morning routine. What’s most important is to set up a routine that works for your family to reduce chaos in the morning.
Having a smooth morning routine will ensure your child gets to school feeling ready and energized to make the most of their school day. We interviewed mothers at Bentley’s head office to gather some tips to help you streamline your morning school routine.
Set up a schedule
To help you and your children stay organized, set up a schedule that includes all of your children’s extracurricular activities, along with reminders of what they need to take to school every day.
Check the weather forecast
Knowing the weather ahead of time will help your children pack their backpacks and plan their outfits for the following day. It’s best to prepare your children’s outfits the night before. This will simplify getting your children dressed for school. When it comes to girls, it’s very helpful to have their clothes laid out in advance to ensure there is no drama in the morning surrounding what to wear.
Prepare lunches
Always prepare your lunches the night before to avoid rushing in the morning. Once the lunch is made, put all items into the lunch box and place it in the fridge. This will ensure the lunch stays cooler for a longer period of time the next day.
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- Jansport Big Break Lunch Bag
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- Tracker Lunch Bag
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- High Sierra Lunch Bag
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Backpacks
Organize all items in their backpacks the night before. Make sure any books or homework required for the following day is in their bag and ready to go. Depending on the weather, make sure you have any additional items packed as well (sunglasses, umbrella, rain jacket). Place their backpacks by the door, so it’s ready and waiting for them. The more you do the night before, the less you’ll forget in the morning and the faster it’ll go. Plus, you don’t want to be looking for any items during the morning rush!
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- Jansport Superbreak
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- Tracker Backpack
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- adidas Foundation Backpack
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Have an early wakeup
Wake your children up at least an hour before they have to leave the house. If you have children who have difficulty waking up for school or don’t like getting out of bed, setting an alarm can help jump start wakeup. You want to make sure they have enough time to get dressed, eat breakfast and brush their teeth. As a parent, it will be a much less stressful experience for you and your child if no one is feeling rushed in the morning.
Implement a bathroom schedule
If you have many children, it can be helpful to set up a bathroom schedule. Work out time slots where each child has their own time in the bathroom to avoid any arguments while getting ready in the morning.
Prepare breakfast
Set the table for breakfast the night before to save you time in the morning. Organize your breakfast foods in advance and choose items that are easy to make. Make sure breakfast is always part of their routine as it’s one of the most important meals of the day and will ensure your children concentrate better at school.
Reduce distractions
Minimize the amount of distractions your children have in the morning, such as TV, tablets and other tech. You don’t want to have anything else slowing them down in the morning.
Organize cubbies
Depending on the season, have all the necessary clothing, accessories and footwear organized and ready to go in it’s own cubby the night before. For example: hats, sunglasses, rain jacket, umbrella, scarves, gloves and boots. This way, your children will have everything they need ready to go.
