How To Have a Peaceful Morning Homeschool Routine with Little Kids
As a mother of four, 8 and under, I know how chaotic the mornings can be. With some tweaking and intentionality, you can have a peaceful morning routine even with little kids.
I am a very routine-oriented person.
I love predictability because it offers protection.
So much of motherhood is navigating unpredictable seasons, but the beauty of having a routine in place is that there is predictability for the whole family.
And when you have young children, they thrive on routine because they feel safe.
For my family, our mornings have not always looked peaceful or predictable.
However, after having my fourth child and having gone through burn out last year (you can read about my burn out story here), I needed to put some more predictable rhythms in place.
Mornings are sacred. How we begin our mornings sets up our day ahead for better or for worse.
What I Will Cover In This Post
- Why morning routines are important
- How to meet the hierarchy of needs of your family in the mornings
- What a peaceful morning homeschool routine can look like
Why Morning Routines Are Important
Like I mentioned, the way you start each day determines the tone of the rest of the day.
If I start the morning in a disheveled state with no plan for the day, I will feel like I am playing catch up for the rest of the day.
However, if I begin the day with rhythms that feel peaceful and predictable, and I am one step ahead of my children (most of the time), then the day will often feel the same way.
For me, I aim to wake up about an hour before my children do. It doesn’t always happen, because I have very early-risers sometimes.
But even if my children are awake, I begin my day reading my Bible and in prayer.
Then I will do a short workout, or read a portion of my current book.
Starting the day slow and intentional means we are slowly working our way toward a fast pace of chores and activities. If I start the day running, I’m tired by 10am.
I like to look at my to-do list so that I know what is on the agenda for today.
And then, I start making breakfast, put a load of laundry on and put on some worship music to set the atmosphere of the home.
Winning the morning means winning the day.
How To Meet The Hierarchy of Needs of Your Family In The Mornings
What do I mean by ‘hierarchy of needs’?
The hierarchy of needs of your family is simply catering to their needs from most important to least important.
The ages of my children currently are 8, 6, 3 and 1. My two eldest daughters are very capable. They can do most things independently, including making their breakfasts.
However, they often want cuddles in the morning, so as soon as they wake up, I make sure leave more room for cuddles and conversations.
For my boys, who are the toddler and baby, they need to run around and they need food in their bellies.
So, I aim to meet their physical needs first thing, which is why we eat breakfast as soon as they wake up.
Lately, while it is still warm outside, I open the back door and let the boys outside for 10 minutes or so to play.
Once my children are fed, their teeth are brushed and they are ready for the day, I make sure to meet their emotional needs.
This means that they might need some extra attention. They might want me to sit and read a book to them or push them on the swing (the 3 year old’s current favourite pastime).
I aim to make sure their physical and emotional needs are met before we begin our homeschooling.
Once everyone seems content and without urgent needs, we pray, sing a song or read a passage of Scripture together to begin our homeschool.
I haven’t done this perfectly of course. Some days are a bit more chaotic than peaceful and that’s life with kids for you!
But as mothers, when we are always thinking about what is next and being one step ahead, we sometimes miss the importance of being present. And when you have a good routine in place, that’s where spontaneity and presence thrives.
What A Peaceful Morning Homeschool Routine Can Look Like
Now that I have shared a glimpse into our mornings before homeschool, let’s explore what a peaceful morning homeschool routine can look like with little children.
I have learnt the hard way that with little kids, you need a lot of breaks in between school work. Otherwise, your kids will get bored or lose focus and you will get frustrated.
I only homeschool my older two currently, but my 3 year old loves to join in by drawing or building something at the table.
We start our homeschool at around 9am. I have learnt that by this time, my kids are peckish, so I normally ask them to bring a snack to the table or if I have time, I make a platter of fruit, cheese and rice cakes for them to share as we begin.
I will set up my 8 year old with some independent work and then work with my 6 year old and continue alternating depending on the work.
In between this, I am keeping an eye on my 1 year old who is roaming the house, making a mess. And I am spending bits of time with my 3 year old who is quite demanding and affectionate in the mornings.
We usually finish our work at around 11am and then I get my older three kids to do a tidy up while I prepare lunch.
If you can manage to feed your kids to balance their blood sugar, give your younger children activities or time to explore the backyard and your older school-aged children plenty of breaks in between school work, you are in for a pretty peaceful morning.
Be kind to yourself and remember that it is okay to make adjustments and pivots here and there. Our kids are always changing and so are our routines.
