Flickr photo by goldbergThe morning is the hardest time in our house -- I'm a night owl, and all of a sudden my toddler is too.
But as the parent in charge of preschool drop-off in our carpool, I've realized if I don't get us moving, then we're making other people late.
Besides -- a solid morning routine has been linked to better health for tots.
Here's what we've added into the mix:
1. Stow a toothbrush in your purse. My daughter has been fighting getting her teeth brushed -- and if you look at the CDC's statistics for teeth decay in American kids, she's not the only one. Teeth brushing is non-negotiable in our house, but we can't wait around all morning. Enter Wisps, Colgate's new disposable toothbrushes. They've just added "with whitening" to the lineup, and they can be used without water. My daughter thinks she's getting one over on me, I get her teeth brushed -- everyone wins.
2. Take time to cuddle. Everyone's happier if you start the morning with a snuggle, and my daughter responds better to my demands that she get up in the morning if I give her a hug first. Would you want to come out of the pleasure of sleep into a world of being screamed at?
3. Remember breakfast tastes the same on the road. Yes, it's embarrassing to admit that we eat in the car. But isn't it more embarrassing to admit your kids don't get the most important meal of the day? What matters is what you feed them, not where. Plain Cheerios and a travel mug of milk work just fine.
4. Set out two outfits the night before. It gives them the power to make a choice, so you avoid the fight, but it also saves you the time of digging through their drawers.
What are your best tips for getting the toddlers moving?
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Comments 4
I guess I'm pretty lucky, my daughter never argues about clothes and LOVES brushing her teeth. Even if she wasn't, I don't think I'd put out the money for disposable toothbrushes. We do eat lunch on the go though!
When my kids bathe at night, they dress in the next day's school clothes; otherwise I give a time limit for getting dressed in the a.m. and limit choices if necessary. The more cooperative and prompt they are, the more choices they have.
Most days, my kids come and wake me up and snuggle a bit before we get down to the serious morning tasks. We start breakfast and I give the kids a time limit after which I will take the food away. Then they have to dress themselves within another time limit if they want to get a gummy bear (vitamin). If they are especially efficent, they get to play outside a bit before we get in the car.
I do not allow the kids to eat in my car. But to make breakfast efficient, I put all the non-liquid fixins in "their" cabinets so they can reach them and make their own choices about which bowl, glass, spoon, cereal, etc. This saves me time and gives them a happy sense of control. If I have to get them out the door unusually early, they can eat breakfast at school.
Prepare to leave 15 minutes before you actually have to cuz something ALWAYS comes up!!!!!
great tips, my oldest is starting pre-k this september and mornings are always a fight with us, thank you!