Morning routines don't need to be exceedingly rigid. It's not imperative to jump out of bed within five seconds of waking, have your running shoes ready to go for a ten-minute run, then exercise for 20-30 minutes, and leave time to meditate and learn something new. You don’t have to have tackled the world all before 7 am. Really, it’s true!
However, some sort of routine is important to help decrease cortisol levels secreted toward morning time. We tend to wake up with high cortisol levels, which makes us feel weighed down rather than light and happy.
Establishing a morning routine is helpful for adults and children alike. For kids that struggle with anxiety, attention, sensitivity, or feelings of overwhelm, having a regular morning routine can introduce a needed element of calm into a hectic morning time. BLOOM’s online courses and resources support children and families at their point of need–with courses on Anxiety, Attention, Emotional Control and Regulation, and Sensory Processing, BLOOM guides parents as they support their children.
How Do Morning Routines Help Your Mood?
A good morning routine is anything that helps you, as an individual, decrease your cortisol levels. While they may have different elements of the routine that serve them best, the same is true for your child. This is very individual for each person. For some, a shower and coffee are enough to snap them out of the morning grogginess. That is great! For others, it’s a light morning jog. Add single elements as necessary if one thing is not enough for you or your child. You can try a few minutes of meditation, reading the morning paper on the porch, or perhaps five minutes of gentle yoga.
Establishing an individual morning routine that works for you or your child will help you each reach a better space to start the day so you can begin each day on a productive note.
If you're a parent looking to establish your needs, your morning routine will likely require you to rise before your children, which can be very difficult, but usually necessary.
Helping Your Children Establish a Morning Routine
During major transition phases, such as the start of school in the fall, children often need help to reestablish a successful morning routine. This is essentially true of children with attention deficit or children that experience sensory overload. Predictable and familiar routines are key.
Often, the hardest part of the morning routine is getting your child out of bed.
Ideas to Help Your Child Wake in the Morning
1) Waking up with a Mommy or Daddy alarm clock is a great way to get your kid excited about waking up
2) Put ice cubes next to the bed, preferably made out of something tart like grapefruit juice or cranberry juice.
3) Offer crunchy foods, or perhaps a sports bottle of either water or a tart drink can help your child awake more fully. You can also consider a warm drink like hot cocoa or tea with honey.
4) Playing calming transitional music in the kitchen where breakfast is waiting or will be prepared is a calming, regulating way to start the day.
5) As a parent, wake yourself up earlier! This helps most children transition easier into the morning routine.
Establish Routines to Support Your Child
Familiar routines are some of the best support we can give our children. Giving a child a predictable schedule where they know what to do and what to expect is a calming force. Especially if your child suffers from attention deficit disorder or sensory processing disorder, establishing routines is vital to your child’s success.
BLOOM provides easy-to-apply resources so that parents can put what they learn into practice in their own homes. As a parent, you can now equip yourself with the tools to support your child where they need it most. Discover courses on Sensory Processing, Attention, Emotional Control and Regulation, Anxiety, and more.
