BEHAVIOR MILESTONES: Getting Ready for School

< Back | Next >

Getting the kids ready for school in the morning is a daunting task. Unless you have a house of merry morning people, it is hard to wake up early and quickly get ready for school. Often the morning routine is filled with rushing and yelling – not an ideal way to begin the day.

​Kudo Banz can help kids develop good morning routine habits. It is important to break things down into simple steps (see suggestions below). Pick steps in the morning routine that are a challenge for your child. Maybe it is getting out of bed without mom/dad asking multiple times, eating breakfast in a timely manner or packing everything in their backpack. Discuss with your child that when they do these things successfully they will earn a Kudo. The key is to keep things positive. There will always be bumps in our mornings but our job as parents is to focus on the good things our children are doing (vs the negative) and give them praise for those things.

KUDO STEP SUGGESTIONS:

  • Get out of bed on time
  • Go potty and wash hands
  • Brush teeth
  • Get dressed
  • Make and eat breakfast (put dishes in sink)
  • Make sure everything is in backpack
  • Put on shoes / coat
  • Go into car or to bus stop on time

* Post a simple list of morning steps to help kids know what needs to be accomplished.

PARENTING TIPS

Take a moment to reconnect. Kids have been on their own all night so they often need a snuggle or a little chat to feel ready to start their day.
Make breakfast DIY. Save the hot breakfasts for the weekend. Keep breakfast simple on school days so the kids can make it themselves. Place what they’ll need within easy reach in pantry and refrigerator.
Prep the night before. Make morning prep part of dinner clean-up. Get the backpacks and lunch prepped, maybe even set out bowls/spoons for breakfast. Have the kids do as much of this as possible!
Create the “launch pad.” Make a designated area or basket where all school related items go so less time is spent looking for things in the morning.
Lay out clothes. Picking out clothes can create chaos in the morning. Have kids do this the night before and lay them out “Flat Stanley style” so there is no thinking required in the morning.
Motivate with music. Create a kid playlist that is 10-15 minutes long. This will help them move along and even come to know that when the last song starts they should be getting their shoes on!
Give yourself enough time. If kids see you rush, that will set a stressful environment for everyone. Make sure to give yourself enough time to get ready so the kids can learn from your good habits.
Get up earlier. If the chaos isn’t getting better, try getting up a bit earlier. This should help everyone feel less rushed.

HELPFUL ARTICLES

Kudo Banz Behavior Milestones:

Kudo Banz is like an on-the-go chore chart. Positive reinforcement reinvented to meet the needs of today’s millennial families. As kids grow, they are constantly learning new behaviors. Reaching these milestones in a positive manner is where Kudo Banz comes in! We are here to help start and end behavior in a fun and positive way. Sticker charts or chore charts are often stuck at home, Kudo Banz is always there when you need it since it is right there on your child’s wrist (keeping them motivated to reach their incentive goal).

Finally, a behavior chart that works for your family and makes raising good kids easy and fun. Say goodbye to yelling and tantrums. Kudo Banz makes positive parenting simple.

Growing Happy Families.