Setting Up Morning Routines

So, I have a question for you.

What are your mornings like?

No, really. How are they?

Do they flow smoothly and effortlessly? Do your children know what to do, how to do it, and do it consistently? Is there a natural rhythm to your day that allows for you to accomplish all the things that matter most?

Or does each morning look different? Does breakfast get pushed further and further back throughout the course of the week? Are there days when your homeschool rhythm gets pushed further back as well, leaving you little time for all the things you really wanted to do?

Mornings Were a Challenge for Us

For us, mornings were often a challenge. No matter how many times I told my children to brush their teeth and brush their hair and get dressed and make their beds, I found that these things were just not happening.

Mornings were frustrating for us. I’d wake everyone up, head to make breakfast, and come back to find them sleeping or playing.

For a while there, I convinced myself that it was all good and fine. That’s why we homeschooled, right? We can be flexible and not have to stick to rigid schedules and timelines.

Now, if that’s where you are, and it works for you, please carry on. But if you made it this far, I’m assuming that things have probably gotten a bit out of hand.

For us, those bad habits really took their toll, and it wasn’t long before I was a frazzled mess. The dragging and lagging carried over far beyond breakfast, and I soon found that school took much longer, getting out of the house took much longer, and basic chores were filled with whininess and grumbling. All of it stole from what mattered most.

Creating Good Habits

Friends, we are always instilling habits in our children. We will either instill good habits that will make for smoother and more productive days, or we will teach them bad habits that will make daily life a drudgery, for us and them. We reap what we sow.

And here’s something else I’ve come to find. Children thrive on routines—especially children with special needs. Routines give them predictability, purpose, and security. When they know what to expect and develop positive habits, there’s less grumbling and more opportunities for them to walk in independence.

If you’re struggling with morning routines or bedtime routines, watch the video below for some helpful tips and ideas.

Setting Up Morning Routines

Choose the morning routines that are most important for your family, and create a system you can use consistently. No, it won’t always be perfect. There will be days of sickness or thunderstorms or mornings where everything just seems to be going wrong. But routines will keep things moving forward and give everyone something to work back toward when the dust begins to settle.

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