In our last blog post, we touched on a few of the things that you can do to work through separation anxiety with your child. One of the points that we covered was a morning routine. We only touched on it briefly because the reality is that a morning routine looks different for everyone. At the end of the day, your morning routine should not only be efficient in getting your little one to school and you on your way, but it should be effective in that it leaves your child feeling comfortable and A-OK when at school. So, without further ado, let’s dive into a few of the things that you should take into consideration when creating your morning routine.
Getting Ready
There’s no doubt about it, the most consuming part of any morning routine is getting your children ready. For many, this includes getting them dressed, brushing teeth and hair, and eating breakfast. Depending on how many children you have, this particular part can be rather overwhelming and time consuming. One of the best pieces of advice that we can give is to take the time necessary to prepare; preparation can make all the difference.
Given that it is little kids we’re talking about, choosing clothes the night before ma sound like a great idea, but we all know that those clothes aren’t likely to be the ones they wear the next day. For that reason, the best thing that you can do to prepare is look at what the weather is predicted to be so that you can better wrangle them into an outfit that makes sense. Aside from that, schedule bathtime for the night before so that it’s truly just brushing teeth and hair in the morning.
In regards to breakfast, figuring out what they’re going to be having in advance can be a game changer. Opting for quick breakfasts like oatmeal or microwave pancakes can speed the day up significantly. For days that you want to have a breakfast that’s just a little bit higher in protein, plan ahead and have eggs prepared or bacon grilled up so that it’s easy to warm it up and serve. These little steps will make a significant difference in your routine, trust us.
The Drop-Off
For parents whose children have separation anxiety, the drop-off can often be the most difficult part of the morning. From throwing a tantrum and hanging onto your leg to screaming at the top of their lungs for you to stay, teachers have seen it all. The one thing that we’ve noticed is that the faster the drop-off is, the better. Getting in a routine with your child so that they feel comfortable during this part of the morning can make a world of difference. So, for example, maybe your drop-off routine will start off with parking in school and getting everything they need out of the car.
Once you’re in the building, decide how much time you’re going to spend in there. Are you only going to help them hang up their coat and backpack? Will you stick around long enough for them to settle down into their first activity? Deciding this beforehand can help set expectations for your child. If they know that you’re going to leave at a particular time, and you stick to it, they know that their tantrum isn’t going to change that. In doing so, the morning drop-off becomes all the smoother.
After you’ve created your drop-off routine, communicate with the teachers if need be. With their help, it could be even easier. If you guys decide that you are going to say goodbye once they sit down and start working on an activity, they can speed this process up while also helping them get settled in. Whatever you decide on, talking to their teacher can only make it go smoother — so it never hurts to share the plan.
Contact Us Today
Yellow Brick Road Early Childhood Development Center is dedicated to providing children with a quality experience and education. If you’re interested in seeing what our facility looks like and getting an idea of what our curriculum entais, reach out to our team. We would be more than happy to schedule a tour or answer any questions that you have. Contact us today to get started.
