The most challenging time for any parent of a young child is the mornings, and this is the time when your patience gets stretched to the limits, as getting the youngster ready to leave the house is no small task. The objective is for all the family to be ready to go, on time, and all in a happy frame of mind, and if that sounds like mission impossible, here are a few tips to help you negotiate weekday mornings.
Early to Bed – Early to Rise
An age old saying, yet still very true, and insufficient sleep is the major cause of morning problems, even with adults. Set a time for bed and stick to it, and that may include 30 minutes listening to a story in bed, or perhaps some soothing music. Dim the lights, as this encourages sleep, and try to eliminate noise that might affect your child’s sleeping pattern. If you are in Western Australia, and are looking for a south Perth child care centre, you couldn’t do better than http://www.littlepeoplesplace.com.au/, where your child can learn and develop with other children their age, and in the expert hands of professional day care workers, your child will really want to leave the house on time in the mornings.
Attitude Adjustment
We are not talking about changing your child’s attitude, this is strictly for the parents. It might be that you are not a morning person, and this could cause tension which then sparks off disharmony in the child. If you are happy. Relaxed and quiet, your child will respond in a positive way, but if you are running around like a headless chicken, looking at your watch and hurrying everyone along, then this will have a negative impact on the event. Try to wake early, have that morning coffee in peace, and prepare yourself for the start of the day. Stress is a major cause of family tension and even small children are affected.
Motivation
This is the key to a smooth morning, and it can be achieved in a number of ways. It might be watching cartoons in the afternoon, or perhaps a treat at the weekend, and whatever works best depends on what motivates your child the most, so don’t be afraid to experiment. If there are older children, they can really help by ensuring their younger sibling remains focused while the bathing and dressing take place. The breakfast routine should be free from distractions. Absolutely no TV, as this will distract your child and that 5 minute breakfast will take 15.
Communicate Clearly and Effectively
When talking to your child, especially about the tasks at hand and how time is slipping by, try to remain calm and free of emotion when you talk to them, and a friendly smile won’t go amiss. This is an important part of stress free family living, as the general mood will determine a child’s response to something, so try to make things jovial, even if you really don’t feel like it.
The routine should work, once it is established, and keep the rewards back for the times when things just seem to break down.
