Start School Days with Special Time!
by Julianne Idleman
Start School Days with Special Time
by Julianne Idleman
Now that many of us are trying to fit our lives back into the school routine, with "I love you. Have a good day!" sandwiched between "Where's my homework?" and "Can you pick me up after soccer practice?" we've got a suggestion for taming the morning rush.
Set the alarm 15 minutes early. Five minutes is for you to enjoy the quiet of the morning before the stampede begins. Ten minutes is for pajama-clad Special Time before anybody has to rush anywhere. First thing in the morning can be a wonderfully effective time to connect with children, especially children going to school where they won't get to see you all day.
Fill them up with your warm, playful attention before worrying about their balanced breakfast. Turn the snooze alarm into the snuggle alarm. Make sure everyone in the house knows they are loved and cared for, and welcomed into this new day, before any of the many mundane chores gobble up your attention. Even ten minutes of your undivided attention can bolster a young child anxious about the separations morning often brings.
Sleep is often experienced by children as a separation. Much of the morning's usual dawdling is often a child's reluctance to let go of you now that they feel reunited after the long time away in Dreamland. Allowing a child to experience morning as a happy reunion, rather than a disconnected push toward yet another separation, can change the tone in the house and set them on a path toward a happier day.
You'll be amazed how much more effective and cooperative children can be when their need for affectionate connection is given first priority. A happy, confident child is much easier to wrangle out the door to face the busy activities of the day. And a child who feels emotionally connected and relaxed is better able to transition into the school environment and to easily absorb the days learning.
Here's to lots of "Special" school mornings!
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