For the topic of this solo episode I polled my audience to see what you wanted to hear about and the answer was unanimous: how to make morning routines easier. The hustle and bustle of back to school season can cause a lot of stress for kids and parents alike. New routines and schedules can be challenging to adapt to but making some small changes can help your family’s morning routines run smoothly right from the start. I have some unconventional tools that I use in my parent coaching to help make your morning and evening routines run more smoothly that I’m excited to share with you. 

When our kids end up making us late: 

• Being late can be very triggering for parents.
• When our kids can perceive we are stressed, they end up more stressed as well. 
• Practice being late while keeping yourself calm.
• Say to yourself, “I am safe if I am late today.”
• When you let go of the control and the power struggle to get out the door, things become easier for both you and your kids. 

Put the autonomy back on your child: 

• This is for kids who waste time doing other things instead of progressing through the morning routine. 
• The idea was created by Joe Newman, author of Raising Lions.
• Using your timer or stopwatch, allot a specific number of minutes to a morning task. Any time that your child goes over that allotment is totaled up and taken away at the end of the day from their free time.
• Always present yourself as “team kid,” not as punitive or that this is a punishment. It’s an opportunity to learn and grow about cause and effect.
• The child’s behavior changes on the second or third day because they want their free time to be theirs. 

Find out what things you can let go: 

• Think about all the things that go wrong in the morning from start to finish and decide where you can let go and give them more autonomy. 
• When we give strong willed kids some independence, they enjoy the feeling that they matter.
• Giving them a specific task and asking them for help is a great way for them to feel important and get them invested in what you need them to do. 
• Let go of things that cause struggles like clothing or breakfast choices. 

Give yourself enough time: 

• Even if your morning routine is taking longer than normal, having extra time will allow you to feel more calm. 
• You can always shift the time you allot as routines get easier and more fluid throughout the year. 

My upcoming offerings: 

• Make sure you are signed up for my email list for a free workshop in September all about The Time Conundrum - the feeling we don’t have enough time. We will talk about ruminating on anxious thoughts and the stress of parenting to reframe the way we think about time. My email list will be the first to know about this workshop! 
• I have opened up spots for my self-parenting program where you’ll get to work one-on-one with me to discover what is in your way to get to where you want to be the most. I give you a step by step plan to know exactly what to do when you start to feel lost, confused, or need a reframe. Three spots are available in September. 

https://theparentingreframe.com/application/

• I’m still doing child-centered parent coaching and have two spots available in September. If you have trouble with tantrums, behavior issues, or other parenting challenges, reach out! 

https://stan.store/theparentingreframe/p/free-discovery-call-ck6qf

 Resources: 

Joe Newman - Raising Lions: https://www.raisinglions.com/about-joe

I hope you found this episode helpful; for more parenting tips, check out my website and blog for more information. https://theparentingreframe.com/

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