Inside: Mornings don't always go as planned do they? Here's how to be more intentional about setting our kids up with structure and routine:

“I’m going to take a shower.”

I would call as I headed to the bathroom.

“Y’all get dressed while I’m in there.”

But 5 minutes later, while my shampoo was making its way towards my squinted eyes, I would hear the yelling. And then the footsteps. And then the door being flung open. 

And then the crying. Or wailing. Or yelling.

Or it would be completely quiet - and that's almost always worse. 

Either way, leaving the bathroom after finishing a shower was like walking into a war zone.

Oh gracious me. 

Mornings don’t often go as planned, do they? You’ve got every intention of getting everyone ready for the day a little early so that you can sit and read together, or cuddle a little bit before it’s time to head off.

But that never seems to happen. 

Someone always gets hurt, or loses their pants, or pulls every single blanket out of the chest to make a “pile”...

I love my own structured morning routine. But apart from spending time each morning reading the Bible, my kids didn’t really have one.

Why not???

 It hit me one day: if a morning routine is good for me, wouldn’t it be good for my kids, too?

Enter: The Morning Chart. 

I can’t quite remember where the idea came from, but one morning I got inspiration to make my kids a list of tasks they needed to complete each morning before play began.

And whoa did it work wonders! Well at least for the first week...more on that later 🙂

Before I get into how to create your own Morning Chart for your kids, let’s talk about why I’ve found them to be so helpful ->

Why your kids need a morning chart

“Cleaning up is so boring”

My oldest says. 

“It’s part of life buddy”

I respond. 

And so it is. So much in life isn’t fun or exciting in the moment - but those "not-so-fun" things are often what reaps the greatest rewards for the future. 

We can see that as adults. I bet right now you can point to a few things that were hard, but now that the hard has passed you can see the purpose and joy in it. Or at least you recognize the lesson learned because of the hard.  

But kids aren’t there yet. They haven’t lived life long enough to understand that with hard work comes great character. Life will inevitably teach them that as they get older, but we can also start teaching them those things now, in little small ways.

Quick related side note: It recently hit me that disciplining my kids doesn't always mean negative consequences for actions. Instead, molding disciplined children means helping them to lead a disciplined life!

• It means giving them structures and routine.
• It means making them clean up after themselves and getting them to help around the house.
• It means making them a part of our household chores - not seeing them as a distraction to those tasks. 

So a Morning Chart for kids is not just about getting things done in the morning so you can get out the door faster (though that is a plus!). It’s more about getting them into the habit of taking care of themselves and taking ownership of their day. 

Plus, sometimes boring can be good 🙂

The Benefits of a Morning Chart for Your Kids

I’ve mentioned one already: it very practically teaches them discipline. But let’s talk about a few other reasons a Morning Chart would be a good addition to your kid’s morning routine:

1. The morning chart helps you remember

Simple things, like reminding my kids to brush their teeth, seem to slip my mind in the mornings. But since the Morning Chart, those things I tend to forget somehow magically get remembered! I’m sure teachers and playmates alike are grateful 🙂

2. It’s customizable to your family

There are plenty of printables out there with pre-labeled morning tasks, but sometimes what's on those printables doesn’t necessarily match with what matters most to you and your family. 

This might be controversial, but I’m going to say it anyway: I don’t care if my kids make their beds in the morning. Actually, to be honest, I do - but they prefer to have their blankets loose so they can play with them throughout the day (making tents, houses, cuddles up, etc.). So because making the kid’s bed isn't important to us, we didn’t add that task to our own morning chart. 

On the other hand, reading the Bible to my kids in the morning is important for us as a family - it’s a habit I want them to build.

I have a friend whose family prefers to read the Bible together at night, when her husband isn't as rushed getting out the door for work. So for them, reading the Bible might not be on their morning chart!

And that’s the beauty - you get to choose what’s most important to you. 

3. It keeps your kids focused while you get some of your own morning tasks done

Because maybe you’re like me and stepping out of the shower is like walking into a disaster zone.

Now, if I need to get a shower in while the kids are awake and up, I’ll tell them: 

“I’m going to jump in the shower. Y’all get your morning chart done!”

Does it work perfectly every time  - well, NO! But it does help 🙂

4. It teaches your kids discipline

No one wants a slob of a college roommate - so don’t let your child be that person. Give them responsibilities and help them develop habits now. They will thank you later when it’s time to fly the coop. 

How To Build Your Own Morning Chart for Kids

“Guys come in here!”

I called from my bedroom as my boys jumped in and snuggled up. I had the computer out so I’m sure they thought I was going to suggest watching a show together….NOT! 

We cuddled around the computer, went to Canva (a free and super easy-to-use graphic design platform - trust me it sounds more fancy than it is), and I told them we were going to make a Morning Chart.

They giggled with anticipation. 

Oh the simple joys. 

And that brings me to the first step in creating your own personalized Morning Chart: 

1. Get your kids involved 

• Let them help choose what things they want to be on the chart, and even let them help you design it!

2. Brainstorm

• Think through daily tasks y’all want to get done before the day really begins (ideally these are things they can do on their own, and don’t need your help with).
• Include some chores like cleaning off the table, unloading the dishwasher, tidying up their bedroom, etc. 

3. Design it

• We had our tasks along the vertical of the page, days of the week across the top, and boxes going along under each day, for each task. 
• Again, let your kids pick out their colors, fonts, etc! Getting them involved as much as you can will help them take ownership.

4. Choose graphics or pictures for each task

• You want the little ones who can’t read to be able to look at the pictures and know what to do. You can do this by hand, or you could cut out pictures from magazines, or use a program like Canva and use their images for free! 

5. Laminate the Chart

• Use dry erase markers on the laminated Morning Chart so that it can be used again, and again, and again. 

What To Do When The Excitement For The Morning Chart Fades

And fade it will.

The first week for my boys was all giggles and thrills - they couldn't wait to wake up and work on their morning chart! But exactly one week later they told me it was just “sooo boring”.

We all like new things, but eventually the fantasy disappears and the reality that it’s just work sets in. But keep them doing their Morning Chart - that’s where the real opportunity to teach discipline lies 🙂

So mama, there you have it. I hope your morning chart gives you some peace while you’re in the shower the way mine did for me 🙂

I’m rooting for you.