This week’s Global TV parenting segment was again in honor of back to school. Making the transition from summertime (and those late nights and no homework) to back to school (early wake-ups and homework to contend with), can be difficult. Yesterday I shared some strategies to make your mornings calmer with your children, and run smoother.

Direct link to video: http://globalnews.ca/video/806936/improve-your-morning-routine

What I didn’t have time to stress were three more ideas for morning success:

1. Try and incorporate some stretching, yoga sun salutations or meditation into your early morning routine before the kids awake. I meditate about 3-4 mornings a week in the 5 or 6 o’clock hour. Please read more here: https://ericadiamond.com/2012/08/24/the-secret-to-fighting-stress-anxiety-and-overwhelm/

2. Working as a team in the morning with your partner builds harmony. So, if your partner is not pulling his (or her) weight around the home, now is your time to speak up. It’s not about banging cupboard doors, or trying to HINT that he should help out. People don’t understand HINTS. It’s about MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD as a woman, and asking your partner for help. I call it allocation – “Honey, how about today I make the lunches and can you please get up a little earlier so that you have time to make the kids’ breakfast?” Mind your T & T – tone and timing. But having an involved partner makes everything run smoother. And it makes you and your partner a TEAM– and that is healthy for your relationship.

3. Older children should be involved in all of the above. Obviously a 4-year-old child might have difficult making their own breakfast, but older children should be taught, trained and expected to help out. This lessens the load on mom, and gives your children invaluable life skills.

I’d love to know– how do you do in the mornings? Are your mornings smooth or are they complete chaos? Are you Ms. OHM and ZEN in the morning, or are you Ms. Hyper? I’ve discovered that when I wake late, and I don’t prepare the night before, it sets the tone for a chaotic and frenetic morning. If you have any tips of your own that work in your family, I’d love to hear them below…

Happy Thursday!

Erica3