Do you know of any tricks that will make our school-day mornings happy times rather than constant nagging times? -- Bad, Bad Mornings Answer: It's not the easiest thing in the world to make sure everyone in a household has gotten up on time, dressed, eaten breakfast and left the house in sufficient time to arrive at school before the tardy bell rings. The first step toward having a happier morning is a family meeting to figure out everyone's responsibilities, from making beds to cooking breakfast. There are some organization tricks that work for many families. Consider our suggestions; however, you will also want to develop your own family's routine to make for happier mornings. 1. Do as much as can be done the night before. School clothes can be laid out for younger children and selected by older children. 2. Everything that will be going back to school can be gathered and placed near the exit door to be just picked up in the morning. This includes backpacks as well as coats and rain gear. 3. Lunches can be made the night before, and lunch money can be distributed. 4. Bring music into the morning to replace nagging reminders. While alarms work fine, you can also play a sprightly tune to indicate it's time to get up. Another tune can be used to indicate breakfast will be served in 5 minutes. And still another can signal that everyone needs to be ready to leave in 3 minutes. 5. Avoid last-minute departures; plan to leave 10 minutes early. 6. Finally, it can be helpful to have a supply of easy-to-grab foods for when the morning schedule goes awry.
Expert Advice To Help Your Children Succeed In School