Everyone runs late sometimes. Life happens and things do not always work out as we planned. Chronic lateness, though, is different and it can be stressful for children who frequently arrive late to school. They miss important social opportunities and learning time, and may feel anxious to fit into the daily schedule with their classmates. In today’s Wellness Wednesday, we try a strategy to manage our mornings and learn some tips to help everyone arrive on time and have a great start to the day.
Try this:
As a class, group, or family:
- Brainstorm a list of activities, responsibilities and commitments that are typical for you in the morning.
- Beside each item, write the amount of time that this task usually takes.
- Add up the total amount of time needed in the morning and discuss a reasonable wake up time.
- Prioritize the list based on need and amount of time. Remove items that are unnecessary or can wait until another time of day, such as preparing your backpack in the evening.
- As a group or individually, create a Morning Checklist to use to organize and manage your morning. Discuss where the checklist will be and how to use it.
A few tips…
- Screens: Screens often contribute to frequent lateness so it is best to save screens (of any kind) for after school.
- Load time: Add 15 minutes to your morning schedule to allow for a buffer of time.
- Sleep: When you cannot get up with your alarm, it usually means you are not getting enough sleep. A reasonable bed time with a calming routine can make a big difference to the kind of morning you have together.
Ask yourself, there is no wrong answer:
How does being on time feel? How does being late feel? Which do you prefer?
Connecting to our faith:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Further Learning:
- Blog: Reduce stress by being on time https://underpressuretherapeutics.com/2017/02/20/reduce-stress-by-being-on-time/
- Child/Family Game: What Would You Do? In A Jar: Daily Dilemmas for Young Children (can be purchased various places such as Indigo or Amazon)
- Article: Child Mind Institute – School mornings without the stress https://childmind.org/article/school-mornings-without-the-stress/
Employees of LDCSB check out WorkLifeHealth from EAP Provider Morneau Sheppell
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