In the morning, before I take my children to school, the time before we leave can be chaotic. There really is no order to it, despite my trying my best, but there is one rule that matters more to me than anything else.
As I have gotten to be more accustomed to my role as a parent, I have developed a morning routine that works quite well, but there are always little hiccups. However, my focus isn’t on making every detail perfect. It isn’t double-checking my kids to make sure their outfit is just right. It isn’t checking their homework. It isn’t making sure they eat a big breakfast. Although, all of those things are a part of my routine.
However, they are not the most important. You see, when we send our kids to school, they leave us for six to eight hours. That is a major gap of time in which they are away from you. And while you cannot control what happens once they enter the school doors, you can prepare them.
The Before School Rule
To me, the most important thing is making sure they have a memorable morning, every morning. And that’s not to say that I put on a show for them or anything like that. It’s the small things you know? For example, I always treat them with kindness and work to create a calm and warm environment. I want them to feel loved and secure at home before sending them off into their day, that way when stressful things happen, they can rest assured when they get home, things will be better for them.
Now, it isn’t always easy. Some days, I wake up on the wrong side of the bed or my kids do. Some mornings, everything goes wrong. On those days, I take it even easier on them and myself. With that being said, remember, I am only human and if I told you that every day was a perfect example of me following this rule, I would be lying. But the small effort it takes to do it as often as possible is well worth it.
Be Their Inner Voice
Remember, you are your kid’s constant and their inner voice. If you spend all morning, yelling at them to hurry up, to rush to get dressed, to brush their teeth again, to do this or do that, they carry that with them all day. You have the power to set the stage for their entire day. That might sound odd, but think about it: our mindset and the energy our day starts on, permeates throughout our day. So, set the right vibe for your kids by striving and doing whatever you can to make them feel warm and secure before sending them off into the world.