It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Unless of course your morning routine looks a little something like this:

7:00: Struggle out of bed.
7:15 Succeed in encouraging your darling children to do likewise.
7:20: Pack multiple lunches, while in the bathroom your children brush only their two front teeth and create toothpaste sculptures on the counter.
7:30: Discover that your children have dressed themselves as if they are escapees from a prison camp. Begin the process of redressing them.
7:40:While your kids eat their morning meal, find out that today you are supposed to supply your youngest child with cookies shaped like famous presidents for her entire class.
7:50:Start the morning scramble for backpacks, lunch bags, and homework that has mysteriously disappeared from where your child claims it was last night.
8:00:Magically pack your fully-equipped children in a neat single-file line into the car or school bus … or shuffle them off in a disorganized scrambling flurry of papers and dropped lunch money.
8:01: Sit down for the first time in an hour.

If it does, let me help to change that. To celebrate the return of the school year I will be giving tips all month on how to turn your mornings into a zen like state of streamlined efficiency. I have tips for college kids and teachers too! And as a bonus on Fridays I'll provide fun tips on what to do for low cost or free family time =D Happy school year everyone!

Ok guys, let's get started:

Regulate bedtime now!
Too many children start the school year exhausted because they adjust their summer “staying-up-late” schedule to “early rising” the day before school starts. Instead, institute a routine of 8 p.m. bedtime and 7 a.m. rising two weeks in advance. Even thought it is still light out at 8, kids need their sleep so badly that it’s in their best interests to do this so that they have adjusted and are ready for the challenges of a new school year. This is vitally important particularly when the child is changing schools.