How to Motivate Your Kids in the Morning
min read
Every parent has experienced that dreaded morning madness. Getting the kids out of bed, dressed, fed and ready to be at school or day care on time with lunches, school bags and everything else they need… it can be stressful to say the least! Especially towards the start of term when the kids aren't quite fully in school mode yet.
We get it, it can be hard to be a ‘morning person’, and harder to get the kids moving in the morning. The morning madness rush is always easier with a little cooperation from your little bundles of joy.
Thankfully, there are some forgotten ways you can put the ‘good’ back into good morning for everyone, and help you and your kids bounce out of bed ready to embrace the day.
Program Good Habits
We sometimes forget that we are conditioning ourselves to behave in certain ways. If we get used to bad habits in staying up late, achieving a lot at night and sleeping in when we can manage it, we’re changing our body clock to do the opposite of what we need it to for work. And it’s the same story for kids.
While some nights it’s a battle to get them in bed, let alone on time, making sure you stick to a set bedtime is important for every member of the family, to get into a rhythm during the school term.
Making sure the lead up to bed time is quiet time helps. If the kids are running around with high energy before bedtime, and/or staying up late, they’re training their bodies to be alert at night, and are less likely to have that same energy in the morning. Try setting a certain time well before sleep where everyone is reminded to keep voices down, refrain from rowdy or boisterous games, and actively relax and calm down. With the TV, tablets and phones turned off, lights turned down, snuggly pyjamas on and books and blankies out! It might be a family time for relaxing reading or similar.
The Morning Routine
The most obvious way to get your kids motivated in the morning is to make mornings enjoyable. Allow enough time for everyone to get ready in the morning without stress. Sometimes getting everyone up half an hour earlier can make all the difference. Especially once you start going to bed half an hour earlier to compensate.
A great way to start a morning routine is by singing and dancing together to an upbeat song. You may have to push yourself the first day, but before you realise it you’ll be gleefully jumping and dancing around each morning. And your energy will catch on to the kids – they’ll be jumping and dancing around with you! This is a great way for families to start the day laughing and having fun together. Setting rules like dancing freely to the first song but getting ready to the second will help stop the music from being distracting. Songs can also be used as a timer – e.g.. Get school shoes and socks on by the end of song number 5!
Competitions around getting ready can help liven up the morning. See who can get their socks and shoes on first, or who can brush their teeth without being asked. Rewarding the kids for getting ready on time is also a great trick. Treat the kids with an extra piece of their favourite lunchbox snack if they get ready on time, or give them extra ‘free time’ to do their favourite activities as a reward for getting ready early.
Get Active
When you perfect the art of getting everybody to school and work on time, you can work quick bursts of fun exercise into the morning routine. Getting some morning exercise in is proven to increase energy levels throughout the day. Exercise also wakes your brain up, reinforcing the programming and conditioning you’re giving your body and your internal body clock! Incorporating small fun exercises with the kids to help wake up their bodies and brains is a great place to start!
Whether its star jumps, jumping jacks, jogging on the spot together, or some other form of quick exercise (like a quick bounce on the trampoline), incorporating it into your routine can increase the morning motivation and giggle count. Not only will your kids sleep better at night and be more motivated in the morning due to the exercise but your body will thank you as well!
Have any suggestions that help you and your family get motivated in the morning? Share your wisdom on social media, and #Springfree!
