8 Morning Routines For Kids To Start Their Day Right

Any new environment for kids can be daunting and sometimes cause them to misbehave. It wasn’t until I noticed a pattern with my son that made me come up with some morning routines for kids to start their day right.

When my son started attending Kindergarten, he would come home every day with a color-coded star chart grading him on his behavior. Though he would receive a good star some days, he sometimes would also come home with a “not so good” star. I’m not saying my kid was a menace to society, but any loving parent wants their children to excel and be the best they can ultimately be. 

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1. Get a Good Night’s Rest

I know going to sleep sounds like it doesn’t belong in a list of morning routine tips. But, how your kid goes to bed at night can directly impact how they start their morning. It gives your kids enough rest so they don’t wake up cranky.

How many times have we let our kids stay up late and then struggle to get them up early out of bed the next day? Even as adults, having to roll out of bed is a struggle.

Also, avoid any negative conservations before bedtime, such as arguing or scolding them. I’m not saying give your children a pass on any wrongdoing they might commit, but how you convey your message can be the difference-maker. 

2. Prepare Lunches the Night Before

It sounds like easy tasks to fill the kids’ water bottle, make them peanut butter sandwiches and toss in a few extra snacks in the lunch bag. However, you can buy yourself more time in the morning by preparing your kid’s lunch the night before.

I’ve often procrastinated preparing lunches until the morning, but it’s made a world of difference when I do it the night before. Once the kids go to bed, it takes no more than 10 minutes to finish.

Trying to prepare lunches in the morning while making breakfast becomes a juggling act. Those 10 minutes turns into 30 minutes. 

I start to look like a contestant on a cooking game show attempting to prepare a three-course meal. Fortunately for me, my worst critics are elementary students.

3. Get Ready Before They Wake Up

I rather stay in bed wrapped in a warm comforter and binge-watch Youtube in the morning. I’ve tried that before, and it doesn’t turn out well. 

Because of my procrastination, I play “catch up” in the morning by rushing to take a quick shower, throw on any clothes, and hope I look half decent in the morning. The feeling of rushing out the door sets my morning mood.

The solution is to respect the alarm clock when it goes off and get out of bed. Use that dedicated time to get yourself ready before the kids get out of bed. This early morning routine time will avoid any pressures of rushing and allow you to focus 100% on your children.

4. Use Words of Affirmation

The way we think can significantly affect how we act. So, it’s crucial to have a positive form of thinking and a growth mindset. 

Every morning when I wake up my son, we say a little prayer together and share our thanks for a new day. Regardless of what your beliefs may, I believe that there is always a reason to be thankful. 

You and your child can reflect on the good things that may have happened yesterday, the day before, or even longer. Also, you can be thankful for the “bad things” that didn’t happen. The essential thing to do is avoid any negative thinking, primarily using words like “can’t” or “never.” 

Furthermore, repeatedly reminding a kid to do something is counterproductive. I’ve seen my son respond negatively to people who are continuously reminding him of something he has yet to do wrong. It shakes his confidence and almost programs him to do the things we were trying to avoid.

Parents should have morning routines for kids that complement positive words and encouragement. When our children go out in the world, we can’t always be there. Instead, we hope that we’ve given them the ability to believe in themselves and make the right choices.

5. Have a Checklist

I often feel like various responsibilities are always pulling me in different directions, that it’s challenging to keep track of everything mentally. For this reason, I’m a big fan of checklists. 

A checklist gives you a concrete plan on what you and your children need to tackle in the morning. This checklist can contain simple steps like “Make your bed,” “Brush your teeth,” and “Change your clothes.”

Create a checklist that fits your household’s particular goals. This strategy removes any guesswork on what needs to get done and allows you to focus on how you want to be.

6. Eat a Complete Breakfast

There is a saying that breakfast is the most critical meal of the day, and it’s true. After sleeping for 8 hours, the kids most likely will have an appetite. Although feeding kids cereal or a donut is easy, it’s not enough to get them through the day to lunchtime.

I like to pear my children’s cereal with fruit, such as sliced apples or a banana. And, during the winter days, I prepare them warm oatmeal. Hunger pains can affect a child’s ability to focus and be patient.

So, keep that in mind the next time you go grocery showing. Think of what you can prepare for breakfast ahead of time versus finding any kind of food “that works.”

7. Set Fun Goals for the Afternoon or Weekend

Give your kids something fun to look forward to after school or on the weekend. It’s a positive conversation to have with your kids in the morning while they’re having breakfast. It also avoids any bickering between siblings because they both can think of all the fun they could have.

These fun things to do with kids is an opportunity to teach your children. For example, we play the Marshmallow game, which tests the kids’ patience and rewards them.

Most importantly, it’s all about family time. You’ll be surprised how much kids want to spend time with their parents. My wife and I refer to this moment as “bucket time” because our kids wish to have enough attention to fill “their bucket.”

8. Remain Calm

Children aren’t perfect, and nor are we. Instead, kids are like sponges that absorb everything around them. If we are frustrated for whatever reason, they can pick up on it and even begin to imitate our behavior.

Instead, take a breath and keep your cool. Morning routines for kids do not happen automatically. You and your children develop a habit over time.

Focus on the little wins and add more victories each day. All your efforts will be worth it when your child comes home and shares how great their day was.

Conclusion

These morning routines for kids can help them kick off their day. But, these tips are not necessarily just for them but also for usus, as parents. 

It’s not about what our kids can do in the morning, but what can we do to help them get their day started in the right direction.

It can feel exhausting at first, but worth it in the end. Usually, parents want their children to grow up to be successful or wealthy. But, what should be our primary focus is that our children grow up to be decent human beings. 

The investment you put into your children’s emotions will be dividends when they grow up. They will become confident adults and a bond that no one can break.

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