Simplifying the Morning Routine

My kids are really good with their nightly go-to-bed routine: brush teeth, put on pajamas, have one story ready to each of them, then lights out. My husband does it all in less than fifteen minutes.

But the morning routine? We were hurting when school began this fall. Desert Boy forgot his lunch a couple times, forgot his homework, didn't feed the chickens. He even missed the bus one day. Not to mention that he was often really crabby and he cried because he didn't think he was getting enough computer time.

Something had to change.

I decided to write out a morning list. What a difference it made! The very next morning, Desert Boy had everything done and was happily playing on the computer for fifteen minutes before leaving, proclaiming he had finished his list. And nearly every morning has been like that.

I made a list for Desert Girl, too, so she wouldn't feel left out. But she can't read, so I drew her list. You can see I need to work on my artwork!

I did make one addition after the original list, a five-minute clean up. Just that quick clean up helps make me much happier, as the kids pick up the obvious things they've left out.

Lunch has not been forgotten, and Desert Boy hasn't missed the bus. Once in awhile the chickens are still in the coop, but usually they are fine. And Desert Boy still has time to play on electronics, in fact more time than before because he knows exactly what he has to do each and every morning and has gotten into a routine with it.

In the morning, I simply ask, "Did you finish your list?" Sometimes the kids will double check it, but usually they enthusiastically reply, "Yes!" And I smile.

If only all my problems could be solved so simply!