5 Ways To Create A Successful Morning Routine For Your Little One

Mornings have never been easy. Whether you consider yourself a morning person or not, it's clear that having a routine after you wake up will set the pace for the entire day and this has always rung true for our little ones.

Now that we are transitioning out of summer and back into the school year, the days of staying up late and sleeping in will soon be behind us. So, in order to help avoid those first couple of cranky and stressful mornings with your kiddos, we compiled our top 5 ways to create a successful morning routine. So start early!

It is always best to start off the day feeling well rested and ensuring your child is getting deep, restful sleep the night before. This means not only having a well-balanced meal at dinner time but avoiding any late-night snacks before bed. The National Sleep Foundation confirms that eating too close to bedtime “might make it harder to fall asleep” and can prevent you from getting the best deep sleep possible. This could mean not letting sugary cereals, chips, etc. be the go-to bedtime snack. Doctors recommend minimally processed food such as oatmeal, plain yogurt, edamame, and some that even contain melatonin such as kiwis and berries. 

While on the topic of the night before, making a checklist can seriously help alleviate the stress and anxieties so many parents face in the morning. The night before, try to help your child pick out an outfit for the morning. Also, make sure your child gets a quick shower or bath in the night before so they start off their day feeling right and smelling right too! Go over homework and make sure the backpack and necessities are together so you can avoid the stressful morning craze of getting everything together and ready. Depending on their age, slowly delegating these responsibilities to your child can not only create independence but help them in creating their own morning and night routine.

3. Getting Up Early (But My Kids Won't Wake Up) 

Creating time to get ready and get settled only better prepares you and your child for the day ahead so getting up early and making extra time is the biggest resource. If this task isn’t an issue, rejoice! You have one of the more important jobs done for a successful morning routine. But what if it is a battle to get my kid out of bed every morning? Do not worry, you are not alone! Some kids hate getting out of bed and it's hard to not blame them. Here are some mini tips to make things easier.

•    Getting 8+ hours of sleep is the most important!
•    Start of the morning with a positive attitude, use the help of a pet for wake-up or try to introduce their favorite music into the equation every morning. These also make the morning more relaxing for everyone involved.
•    Creating a morning routine itself can help get them out of bed! Having to follow a routine means sticking to the routine and not sleeping in.
•    Lastly, it is very important that as they get older they understand that you are not always responsible for them getting up. At a certain point, they need to take responsibility and get up. 

4. Healthy Breakfast or Snack 

We all know the classic saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it is said that for good reason. A healthy well-balanced breakfast creates your energy supply for the day. You are replenishing your glucose and other important nutrient essentials that will make you alert and aware of the day to come. However, on a time crunch, going all out for breakfast might not be an option. Having a healthy and nutritious snack handy for the morning can make all the difference. At Zeek Bar we encourage parents to try out our bars because they have 50% less sugar and are high in protein, making sure your child gets the necessary nutrients they need to have a successful morning on the go. 

5. Offer Small Reward For Your Kid

Last on our list is a reward. If your child is able to get up early, get everything ready, and stay on routine, a reward will go a long way. Whether it's family bonding such as reading their favorite book together, extra screen time, (or if they are older) staying up late on a Friday night/getting to go see friends –– positive reinforcement stays with us for the rest of our lives. Reinforcing a healthy morning routine will make them all the more successful throughout the years. 

We hope these tips help create that successful morning routine as we start off the school year! Best of luck!