Heather Brown’s tips for smoother mornings

#3 SHOP BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALES TO SIMPLIFY.

Look for sales this time of year on breakfast and lunch items at the grocery store for back to school. Many times, some of the boys’ favorite snacks and quick lunch box additions will be buy one, get one free. This is a great time to stock up on your little one’s favorite snacks and breakfast items. If you have the space in your kitchen and budget to store an inventory of backup snacks, definitely take advantage of the upcoming sales, and make your first month back at school a little easier! Save money now to keep your pantry fully stocked for the next few months instead of buying full price later. (Budget Hack: Try the Grocery Budget Challenge at mylifewellloved.com/40-weekly-grocery-challenge.)

#4 LAY OUT EVERYBODY’S CLOTHES AHEAD OF TIME.

Choosing your kid’s clothes ahead of time so they (and you) know exactly what to put on in the morning is a great timesaver. This goes for you too, mom! I try to lay out my gym clothes the night before, and it totally saves me in the mornings. I head to the gym first thing, so if I don’t lay my clothes out the night before, it causes a snowball effect of delays in our mornings.

#5 PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE.

This one goes along with laying clothes out the night before, but I also recommend preparing for your day the night before! Run through your planner and schedule, and make your to-do list the night before so you have a game plan for how to tackle the next day. (You can search my blog for my favorite planners, organizational desk supplies, and calendars.)

#6 SET AN ALARM FOR GETTING IN THE CAR.

I usually set a timer on my phone to go off with an alarm so that when my kids hear it, they know they have 5 minutes till their booties need to be in their car seats. The timer signals them to grab water bottles, backpacks, and their other school essentials!

#7 CAFFEINATE, CAFFEINATE, CAFFEINATE!

I use my coffee time in the mornings to prep for my day and write in my journal. There are so many benefits to drinking coffee!

#8 REPEAT MORNING AFFIRMATIONS.

This is a big part of our back-to-school morning routine! I try to say morning affirmations with the kids every day to help settle the chaos in the car. (See sidebar for a few of our favorites!)

#9 BE INTENTIONAL.

Set your day with the right intentions. Positivity and gratitude change everything! I’ve recently incorporated my motherhood journal (I use The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal for Mothers by Gretchen Rubin) at night to write down a few things that I want to remember about the boys’ day and things to be thankful for. In the mornings, I love to listen to either a devotional app or worship music that helps set my day on the right course. I also love devotional apps because they play audio, so I can listen on car rides to or from school.

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#10 SET THE EXPECTATIONS.

Make sure your kids know what the expectation is for school mornings. For example, no tv until they’ve made their beds, brushed their teeth, fed the fish, opened their curtains, turned off their sound machine, put their shoes on, etc. Communicate those expectations up-front so they can get into a rhythm each day. Another great idea is to use chore charts.

#11 PACK BREAKFAST AHEAD OF TIME.

If you do have time in the week to stop and prep breakfast, pop it into baggies that you can easily grab as you are walking out the door. Set out some bananas, granola bars, or anything that’s easy to bring in the car with them on the way to school. That way, you aren’t having to tear the pantry apart looking for something for breakfast in the mornings! I also try to make sure everyone’s water bottles are full and in the fridge so that’s one less thing we have to worry about as we’re rushing out the door.

#12 ESTABLISH A MEAL PLAN.

Y’all know that I am a huge advocate for meal planning because it really is the biggest help to me as a busy mom. When I take the time to plan ahead, then dinner is one less thing on my scattered brain. Make sure you reference the meal plan you made the night before, so you don’t forget to start the slow cooker in the a.m. or pull the chicken out of the freezer to thaw! (For all the meal-planning tips and tricks, check out my Meal Planning For The Busy Mom eBook at mylifewellloved.com/ product/meal-planning-for-the-busy-mom-aebook.)

MY FAVORITE MORNING AFFIRMATIONS FOR KIDS

I am kind. I am smart. I am a child of God. I am brave. I am a good listener. Mommy and Daddy love me, and God does, too. I am a good sport. And I’m going to have a GREAAAAAT day!

Heather Brown lives in Birmingham with her husband, Eric, and two young boys. She is a blogger, speaker, content creator, work-from-home mom, and fitness enthusiast who has become a valued positive voice to the women in her My Life Well Loved community (mylifewellloved.com). She loves investing in people, getting her sweat on, and enjoying the little things in life!