Get Ahead of your Kids during the Morning Rush with these Helpful Tips!

Ever feel like your kids are leading you around the during the 30 minutes  (or less) of time you have to get 50 things accomplished in the morning? Use these tips to keep kids occupied and give yourself  more of what you need- Time!

·    While kids are eating breakfast, they can name the food groups of the food and ingredients they are eating.

·    As part of their daily routine,  children can check the temperature outside and then discuss what clothes are appropriate for the weather and season.

·    Parents can have their children orally review their daily school schedule while the family listens and asks questions, like “What special is today?” or “Who do you sit next to?”

·    Parents and children can also take turns spelling words that are age and grade appropriate and routine related, such as toothbrush, cavity, breakfast, etc.

·    Parents can hand their kids each a cook book to pick a meal of their choice for the weekend or a dessert to be made for their next play date.

·    Fun card games are deceptively academic, helping children learn specific skills. Kids could play any fast, basic card game where counting and turn taking is involved such as Go Fish and War.

·    Parents can have their kids ask each other questions about the books they are reading in school, such as, “What is the book about?”, “Who is the main character?”, or “What do you like about him or her?”

·    Parents can give their children their lunch money and then have them count it out together while mom hops in the shower.

·    Kids can practice tying shoelaces on each other’s shoes and then their own.

·    Siblings can quiz each other on the weeks’ spelling words, current events, geography, such a “Name the new England states”,   “Who is our President, and Vice President”, etc.

·    Parents can give their children a globe and let the kids locate destinations.

·    Flash cards are also a great tool to keep siblings busy together. Kids can quiz each other on basic addition and multiplication math facts using flash cards, while giving mom a break.

·    As a rule of thumb, technology should be not be used  limited in the morning. However, there are exceptions when there is extra time available or a parent needs to get a project completed and a child is awake earlier than planned. On these occasions, educational programs and math games accessed online through Study Island can be used to warm up the brain and occupy children. These programs offer stimulation without being a negative distraction. They are also an easy activity to break from when it’s time to leave. Some educational technology, in limited doses, can be helpful without being a negative distraction for kids.

Dr. Kate Roberts is a psychologist and parent coach on the North Shore. Questions can be directed kate@drkateroberts.com or   https://twitter.com/DrKateParenting and  https://www.facebook.com/Dr.KateRoberts . Look for her upcoming column, “Tips for Managing Technology over the Summer