GETTING kids ready for school up, ready and out in time for school is stressful enough – without having to deal with any meltdowns.
And if you’re a parent who’s already dreading next week’s school return, and the potential tantrums that come with it, a kids’ therapist has shared a clever hack that can help make mornings stress free.
Parenting coach Jo has revealed a clever tactic that can help you avoid any pre-school morning meltdowns[/caption]
It takes just 60 seconds at bedtime, and means you can avoid 20 minutes of morning chaos[/caption]
Jo, from Walker’s Therapy, took to her TikTok page to post a video in which she explained why chore charts and nagging does absolutely nothing.
“Mornings explode because kids don’t know what’s coming,” Jo said .
“Their brains resist unpredictability and that’s what turns into meltdowns, dawdling or battles over socks.”
So, help them prepare by “previewing the day the night before”, which helps ensure their brain “already knows the script” by the time it’s morning.
“At bedtime in a calm voice say something like, when you wake up we’ll get dressed first, then breakfast, then shoes, then walk to school,” Jo advised.
The “simple, predictable and no surprise” approach might sound “obvious” to many, but Jo added that’s because we have “years of experience and muscle memory compared to children”.
If you’ve got a child who responds well to visual cues – or a younger child – you can even draw three or four simple pictures forming a “little road map” to help.
“Doing this makes their nervous system feel safe and mornings run much smoother,” Jo said.
And as an added bonus, your kids will most probably sleep easier, because they already know what to expect the next day.
“This takes 60 seconds at bedtime and saves you 20 minutes of chaos in the morning,” she concluded.
“School mornings don’t need to be stressful,” Jo added in the video caption
“It’s not about charts or punishments — it’s about nervous system prep.
“Preview = peace!”
“My kids are older (7 and 10) and we have a whiteboard that we write what they need to do on,” one person commented on the video.
“Then they put a tick next to each thing. It works *most* of the time!”
“Reassurance is safety… I love this,” another said.
EXTRA HELP WITH SCHOOL UNIFORM COSTS
IF you can’t get targeted help from your council, you might have some other options available to you.
In some areas, you can talk directly to your school, which might be able to offer you clothing.
Or, you might be able to get cheap garments from low-budget shops or charity stores.
Some charities offer help to families in need too.
But bear in mind charities often have a limited amount of money to give and usually have specific criteria which must be met in order to get a grant.
Charity Turn2Us has a free grants search tool on its website which you can use to find out what help is available to you.
Meanwhile, you can always try approaching your nearest Citizens’ Advice branch.
If you don’t know where your nearest Citizens’ Advice branch is, you can find out by visiting www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/nearby/.
If you’re not eligible for a school uniform grant you might be able to get help through the Household Support Fund.
“I love these wonderful ideas,” a third praised.
As someone else added: “Absolutely this!
“I did this with my son last night and it helped massively with the nursery drop off!”
“Couldn’t agree more,” another commented.
“They need to know so they can prepare – just like we prepare for the next day.
“It helps to keep my children calm and feeling in control.”