School mornings have officially become part of our family routine.
Now that Ate is going to school, our mornings feel different. We have a schedule to follow, a school bag to check, breakfast to finish, and of course, a child who sometimes moves at her own pace while Tatay keeps checking the time.
As parents, we want our kids to arrive at school happy, prepared, and ready to learn. We are slowly learning that a good school morning often starts with a simple routine at home.
Here are five common things we do before Ate goes to school.
- Wake Up at 7 AM
Our school morning starts at seven in the morning.
Getting up at a consistent time gives us enough time to prepare without rushing too much. At least, that is the plan.
We give Ate time to wake up properly before starting the rest of her routine. Anyone with young children knows that waking them up is sometimes the easy part. Getting them out of bed and moving is another story.
Starting early gives us some extra time for those little delays.
- Take a Bath, Brush Teeth, and Get Ready
Next comes getting ready for school.
It is bath time, brushing teeth, fixing her hair, and putting on her school uniform.
This part of the morning is also a good opportunity for us to encourage independence. Instead of doing everything for her, we let Ate do some of the simple things herself.
She is still young, so of course we help when needed. The goal is for her to slowly learn how to prepare herself.
Small responsibilities matter.
- Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Breakfast is an important part of our morning.
We do not want Ate heading to school hungry. She needs something to eat before a busy morning of learning, playing, and exploring.
It does not need to be complicated.
Cereal, toast, eggs, fruit, milk, or whatever works for your family is fine. For us, the important thing is giving her enough time to sit down and eat instead of rushing through breakfast.
And yes, some mornings involve repeatedly saying, “Ate, eat your breakfast please.”
Parents will understand.
- Prepare and Check School Things
Before leaving, we check the school bag.
Books? Check.
Water bottle? Check.
Lunch or snacks, if needed? Check.
Anything the school asked us to bring? Hopefully, check.
We try to prepare most things the night before. It makes the morning much easier.
We also involve Ate when checking her things. It helps her understand that her school bag and belongings are her responsibility too.
As she gets older, we want her to reach the point where she checks her own bag without Tatay or Nanay reminding her.
We are still working on that one.
- Head to School With a Smile
Once everything is ready, it is time to go.
Bag on. Shoes on. Jacket on, because this is the UK and you never fully trust the weather.
Then we walk to school.
This has become one of my favourite parts of the morning.
It is only a normal school walk, but as a dad, I know these mornings will not last forever.
Today, I am walking beside a little girl carrying her school bag. One day, she will be old enough to walk to school without holding our hands.
So even when mornings feel busy, I try to appreciate this part.
Building a School Morning Routine
Our routine is far from perfect.
There are mornings when everything goes according to plan. There are also mornings when someone cannot find something, breakfast takes longer than expected, or we suddenly remember something for school five minutes before leaving.
That is family life.
What matters to us is giving Ate a simple routine she understands:
Wake up.
Get ready.
Eat breakfast.
Check your things.
Go to school.
Five simple steps.
Over time, we hope these small habits help her become more organised and independent.
For now, Nanay and Tatay will still be there in the background saying the same things every school morning.
“Ate, are you ready?”
“Where are your shoes?”
“Do you have your water bottle?”
“Come on, we need to go!”
And somehow, we make it out of the house.
Another school morning done.
Another small family memory made.
Until then, love you, bye!
It’s Dadbuhay!
DadBuhay 
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