The way you start your morning can set the tone for the entire day. When you have little ones, who are dependent on you for mostly everything, having a calm and peaceful start can be a challenge. But with a few strategies in place, you can get your children to their child care center or school in a way that feels good for you and them.

3 Tips to De-Stress Your Morning Routine With Your Kids

1. Prepare the Night Before

Take a few minutes in the evening to get morning essentials ready. This might include getting backpacks cleaned out and prepared for the day, laying out their clothes, and packing lunches. Give your children a few tasks that help them feel useful — like choosing ingredients from the fridge or picking out an outfit. If you have permission slips, lunch money, or other logistical items that the child care center or school needs, get that organized before bed.

2. Establish a Routine

Get up 10 to 20 minutes before your children to grab that first shower while your coffee brews. Quiet time for yourself will help you stay calm even if others are cranky. Establish a framework of steps with time goals, such as, “breakfast is from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m.,” or “teeth are brushed by 8 a.m.” With young children, for whom you are doing most tasks, creating a routine that you can lean on will help when the inevitable distractions occur.

3. End in a Positive Way

As you drop your little one at their child care center or send them on the bus to school, make sure they leave with positive words or some affection from you. The most important part of the morning is love and care, even if hair isn’t perfect or breakfast dishes didn’t get done.

Readying your child for their child care center or school can be streamlined with routine, organization, and a positive attitude. Knowing that you are dropping your kids off at a safe, fun, licensed facility can help you with feeling relaxed following a hectic morning. Wolcott View Manor Health & Rehabilitation Center, in Wolcott, CT, offers child care for infants to grade school age. Programs include full and half day preschool, intergenerational activities, a CT based curriculum, and more. Visit their website to learn about child care, health care, rehabilitation programs, and their nursing facility, or call (203) 879-8066 to discover more about their services.