How to get your child to wake up happy every morning to go to school

Katie Chiavarone holds a Master’s in Educational Psychology from New York University and currently works with preschools as a behavioral therapist. The mother of three enjoys spending time creating and exploring with her children every day. She also blogs about children’s activities and parenting. Here, she shares her tips for waking up your child in the morning in a way that is both time-saving and effective.

Massage and cuddling are Katie's ways to wake her baby up in a good mood every morning. Photo: Viewsfromastepstool.

“Get up and go to the bathroom.” “Come on, it’s time to get up or we’ll be late.” That was the scene every morning with my preschooler.

Our morning routine needed to change, but where did I start? Once out of bed, getting dressed, brushing teeth, eating breakfast, and packing up was a screaming match in our house. My son is a very responsible boy, but getting up every morning to start the day was not easy for him. Alarm clocks, music, and urging were all futile, and eventually we found a way to get him out of bed in a good mood.

I start with what my son responds to most quickly and what his language is. My new morning routine starts with a five-minute massage and cuddle timer. I crawl into my 6-year-old’s bed and hold him tight. I feel his chest rise and fall with each breath. He starts to squirm gently under my weight.

"Good morning, my boy. Time for some cuddles," I whispered in his ear.

The baby snuggled into Mom, and I rubbed his back and stroked his hair. Memories of holding him as a baby flooded back to me. He always loved being touched and loved. A massage was always what he wanted.

My lively little boy started talking as he slowly woke up. After about a minute, he suggested, “Can we cuddle for three minutes and talk for two minutes?” Then we talked about the adventures he had in his dreams. The alarm clock rang, and we both jumped up. After a hug and a quick kiss on the forehead, I took him to the bathroom and changed his clothes.

I am happy and so is my son.

If you have a young child who has trouble getting up in the morning, I think you should try this. Routine is important because it works and keeps us on time.

According to ngoisao.net