8 Things Clever Parents Do for Chill Mornings

Successful mornings with kids don't just happen overnight. Follow these smart parenting tips to stop the chaos and get out the door faster.

Show: HGTV Happy

School is just around the corner (and already in full swing for some!), and with a new season comes a new schedule. You could either walk into the new school season blindly and hope everything works out, or you could follow these fail-proof tips to guarantee each morning is a success. The choice is yours!

Encourage Independence

The best way to set your child up for success in the morning and allow you to have your own successful morning is to allow and enable your child to be independent. Make a list of easy-to-do tasks and hang it on the fridge door so they can mark tasks off as they complete them.

Photo by: Sarah Busby

Sarah Busby

Meal-Prep Breakfasts

Most pre-packaged breakfast foods are a nightmare for you and your child’s health. They may taste amazing (okay, they DO taste amazing), but they can be seriously lacking in the proper nutrition you need to start your day. Meal-prepping a smarter breakfast option can be a game changer for busy mornings, and it means a nice, tasty breakfast is ready for you every single day!

Photo by: Sarah Busby

Sarah Busby

Create Lunch-Packing Stations

Whether you are a morning lunch packer or a night before kind of person, you could benefit from this tip. Designating a drawer in your pantry and fridge for ready-to-grab lunch options will make lunch packing easy, fun and efficient!

Photo by: Sarah Busby

Sarah Busby

Prep Outfits on Weekends

Choosing an outfit each morning is a huge time waster. Let’s face it: No one is on top of their decision-making game that early and should be forced to put that kind of thought into anything. Prepping outfits for each day of the week on the weekend will help save a ton of time and energy that could be put elsewhere.

Outfits Organized for Each Day Inside of an Outfit Organizer

An Outfit Organizer Hanging Inside of a Closet

These outfits are folded and organized by day inside of an outfit organizer. The organizer has slots for each day of the week and hangs inside of a closet.

Photo by: Jalynn Baker

Jalynn Baker

Keep Homework Organized

To help your little one avoid the “my dog ate my homework” talk with their teacher, it starts at home. An organized work station for homework can save a lot of time and help you put your energy into remembering how basic math works. We suggest a mobile cart so you can wheel it to the table while working and back to the door for easy morning pickup.

A Homework Station Houses Necessary Supplies for Homework

A Girl Pulls Items from a Homework Station

This homework station is fully outfitted for efficient homework completion. A girl is seen pulling the items she needs from the mobile rack.

Photo by: Jalynn Baker

Jalynn Baker

Make Coffee on a Timer

For years, coffee makers have had built-in timer features, and we’re here to say not enough people are utilizing them. Seriously, you could be waking up to the fresh, exciting aroma of a fresh pot of coffee, and you’re still not choosing to? This one speaks for itself.

A Coffeemaker is Filled With Water by a Man

A Man Pours Water Into a Coffeemaker

This man is standing in his kitchen pouring water into a coffeemaker. The kitchen is mostly white but features a brick accent wall to the man's right.

Photo by: Jalynn Baker

Jalynn Baker

Get Up and Get Ready Before Kids

This tip may seem like a hard one, especially if you’re not a naturally early riser, but hear us out. Even getting up 30 minutes before your kids will allow you to get so much more done so that you can focus your attention on setting them up for success once they get out of bed.

Lady Looking in Mirror Brushing Hair in White Bathroom

A Lady Brushes Her Hair in a White Bathroom

A lady smiles as she looks into an octagonal mirror in a white bathroom. She is brushing her hair with a pink hairbrush and wearing a green shirt.

Photo by: Jalynn Baker

Jalynn Baker

Limit Morning Screen Time

With so many screens saturating your child’s day, let the morning be a break and a time to focus. Use other forms of media such as music to grab their attention but leave them open to focusing on the tasks at hand and putting their minds in a good place for the day to come.

Table With a Record Player and Three Phones Charging

Record Player On a Table Next To Phone Charging Station

This record player is sitting on a wooden table next to three phones. The phones are charging on top of a closed laptop.

Photo by: Jalynn Baker

Jalynn Baker

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