Keys to a Stress-Free School-Day Morning

In my family, school-day mornings used to be really stressful, with everyone running around like chickens with their heads off as we rushed to get ready and out the door. Things have changed. Through trial and error, as well as conversations with other parents, here are six things to do for more stress-free mornings.

Table of Contents

Have a Morning Chore Chart

The best way to start the morning stress-free is to plan as much as possible the night before. Create a Morning Chore Chart that specifies all the things that need to be done each morning and who’s responsible for doing them. The chart lists daily chores — everything from making the bed (something teenagers really hate to do) to who’s making what for breakfast. We rotate tasks every week to be fair.

At the bottom of the chart, list the unique things that need to be done on a specific day, like leaving money for a school trip.

A Place for Everything — Everything in its Place

The second key to a stress-free morning is to know where to find the things. If it were up to my 15-year-old son, his stuff would be dumped where he last used them or tossed on the floor. Agree as a family on where exactly to put morning essentials — school bags, rain gear, shoes, etc. It makes mornings so much smoother. No one is running around looking for things — you can just grab and go.

It’s also helpful to do as many morning tasks as you can the night before — choose what clothes to wear, pack school bags and lunches, and finish all homework. No more last-minute homework in the car!

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

It may sound like a cliché, but getting a good night’s sleep really is extremely important to reducing morning stress. If one person is sleep-deprived, that person often makes everyone else grumpy, too. To get a good night’s sleep, turn off all electronics a half an hour before bed time to have time to unwind and shut down. If you want to make absolutely sure that this happens, have your kids charge their devices anywhere else but in their own bedrooms.

Wake Up — Then Wake Up Everyone Else

Try waking up 20-30 minutes earlier than everyone else. That’ll give you time to get ready before the morning rush starts. The bathroom is a source of competition and in constant use until everyone is out the door.

Stay Calm and Positive

When you’re finally ready to wake up the rest of the family, try to be upbeat. If you’re unhappy about something the kids did or didn’t do, mornings aren’t the best time to bring it up. Conflicts are rarely resolved satisfactorily early in the morning when there’s so much to do. Put on some energetic music instead to help put everyone in the right frame of mind.