Getting Ready for School a Struggle? This Simple Routine can Help!

For many families, the first hour of the day can be the hardest. Life can be chaotic and for some reason, your child cannot seem to "get it together". You shout up the stairs for them to come down dressed and ready, only ro realize that you have to send them back up for their shoes. They leave with their homework still sitting on the dining room table, or their lunch by the door. What can be done. Here is a step-by-step technique to make getting out the door a lot easier. 


-----The Night Before----

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Step 1)- Put a simple wooden chair in your child's room. 

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Step 2)- Have your child pick out underwear, pants, and shirt (or dress). Letting them pick out the clothes reduces clothes-choosing struggles later. Your child then drapes them neatly over the back of the chair. 

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Step 3)- Have your child put a cup on the seat of the seat of the chair containing a toothbrush and brush. (trust me, I will get to it) 

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Step 4)- Have your child pick a pair of shoes, put them facing out, in front of the chair. 

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Step 5)- Gather all homework, lunch money, signed papers etc. Review them with your child, and have your child put them in his or her backpack. Have your child put the packed backpack to the side of the chair ready for their dominant hand to grab. 

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Step 6)- If your child takes one, have your child open and empty lunch box to on the opposite side of the chair (non-dominant hand). 

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Step 7)- Have your child put a pair of socks inside an empty cup on the counter in the bathroom. 

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Step 8)So- Put un-boxed lunch in a dedicated spot in the refrigerator that is in your child's reach.  

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---The Morning---

Order of events.....


You send your child to his or her chair. 
They...

1. Pull clothes off of the back of the chair and put them on, in order of the stack, underwear first, pants, shirt. 
2. Grab the cup with the toothbrush and brush and go into the bathroom. They brush teeth and brush hair. 
3. Exchange the cup with the toothbrush and brush for the one with socks. Take the cup with socks back to the chair. 
4. Put socks on, followed by shoes. Cup goes beside chair. 
5. Grab backpack and empty lunchbox. 
6. Go to the kitchen to put lunch in fridge into lunchbox.
7. Head out the door!  

Don't forget to help your child re-set the next night!

This will take some practice for them to get down, but when they do, you will find that remembering things will, in general, become easier. Some kids may need a visual schedule as a prompt. Most kids will not always need this structure. Others may adopt a nigh-time preparation routine on their own! Either way, it will help you to breath easier in the morning!