Saturday, September 7, 2013

Back to School: Stress-less Mornings

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Did you get up extra early on the first day of school, have everything planned out and still found yourself rushing out the door with kids in tow? Even the best planned mornings can go awry but they can be less stressful. Here are tips from the experts - parents:
1) On Sundays, have a snack packing party with the kids - pack snacks for the week in small tupperware containers.
2) Remember to BREATHE!
3) For younger kids, have a visual chart that helps them get organized in the morning: take photos of the kids during their morning routine, then clip photos onto a posterboard.  It’s much easier to say, “What do you have to do to get ready now?” than “How many times do I have to tell you to brush your teeth?”
4) If you know you’re going to be late, accept it. Stressing by thinking it about it isn’t going to change the situation. Ask yourself: What’s the worst consequence of being late today?
5) BREATHE again, because when we get anxious we tend to hold our breath thereby increasing our stress.