How to Start a School Day in the Morning

Getting the kids off to school in the morning is not always as easy as it sounds.

Getting the kids off to a good start in the morning takes patience and preparation. This might not seem like an issue to a person without kids, but to parents juggling work schedules, commutes and household chores, it's not such a simple matter. These daily pressures and personal responsibilities can make parents feel like jugglers with too many plates in the air and one about to crash to the floor. It's important to get the morning off to a clean start. This can be accomplished with some simple planning.

Instructions

1. Lay out the next day's clothes and prepare lunches the night before. Preparing to start the school day actually begins before the children are sent to bed the prior evening. Turn off the TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime and have the kids pick their clothes for the next day. Check the Internet to determine the weather prediction so you can make sure they will be appropriately dressed. After they pick out their clothes and get them ironed they should prepare their lunches. Having these two major issues settled before the morning even begins will go a long way toward starting the new day right.

2. Wake the kids up early enough that they have plenty of time to get breakfast and freshen up. This, like the actions suggested in the previous step, actually begin the night prior. Kids need a set bedtime to make sure they get the sleep they need in order to be alert at school. The American Psychological Association notes that studies show a great many Americans find a lack of sleep and the resulting sleepiness affects their daily function. If kids get to bed at a good hour the night before, waking them up in the morning is much easier. Make sure alarms are set and the children are properly roused from bed so they won't be in a last-minute rush.

3. Prepare a healthy breakfast. Children will be more alert and less irritable if they have had a nutritious breakfast. Parents know this intuitively, but this is also supported by government and medical studies. The California Department of Education cites research that shows nourishment is tied to school attendance and helps motivate and prepare children to learn.

4. Engage the kids in prayer, conversation or both before they head out the door or while you are taking them to school. Kids are often anxious about a test, strains in friendships or might even be experiencing bullying or other forms of harassment. Parents obviously need to know these things. Prayer or conversation to start the day can help set the kids at ease and get them off to a better start.

References

• California Department of Education: Healthy Children Ready to Learn
• American Psychological Association: Why Sleep is Important and What Happens When You Don't Get Enough