School mornings don’t have to be chaos

So what does the typical school morning look like in your house? Quiet conversation over a leisurely breakfast, everyone dressed and ready to depart on time, all their books, papers and lunch neatly packed and ready to go? No? Not quite? More like a minor riot with lots of stress? If so, it’s time for a change.

There’s no magic way to guarantee that the bedlam that marks those getting ready for school times in too many homes will totally disappear, but there are steps to take to help minimize the school-morning frustration, stress and anger.

You can start by not blaming the kids for all the problems. Make it clear that you’re not happy with how you’re acting (you know, that yelling and lecturing virtually every day). Tell them you want to change and you need their help in making it happen.