It is important to have a good morning routine with your host kids on school days!  Here are some tips to help: 

• Prepare the night before by making lunch, pack backpacks, and set out the clothes.
• Set up a launching pad near the door for kids’ backpacks, coats, shoes, hats & gloves so no time is wasted looking for these items.
• Wake up at least one hour before the kids, eat, have coffee and get dressed. BE READY!
• Make sure you know how and when to wake up the kids.
• Stagger wake up times if you can. Pre-teens and teenagers need more time in the morning to shower and get ready.
• Younger kids should bathe the night before whenever possible.
• Make sure the kids pick out what they are wearing the night before. Limit their choices, make sure everything is clean and ready to wear.
• Do not rush kids. Make sure they have enough time to dress, wash, comb their hair, brush their teeth and eat breakfast!
• Avoid turning on the TV. Kids waste a lot of time in the morning watching TV and playing.  These activities should be avoided and only saved if everything else is done!
• Never let them skip breakfast. Hungry kids can’t concentrate in school.
• Remind kids to use the bathroom just before leaving for school. Lots of kids don’t like to use the school bathroom.
• Wish the kids a good day. Give them a hug!  Let them know you will be waiting for them when they get off the bus or at the school when they are done!