1. Do your morning routine the night before! Instead of waiting until the morning to do the morning checklist, do it before you go to bed. Get school clothes ready, pack the backpacks, gather homework, and make lunches.

2. Create a launching pad for each member of the family. Have a labeled bin for each family member near the exit door to collect shoes, keys, backpacks and coats. This way you'll have everything in one place in the morning.

3. Post a morning checklist where everyone can see it. As the clock ticks in the morning, you can ask your children how it's going on the morning checklist. This will keep everyone on task and moving toward the goal.

5. Be sure everyone is getting enough sleep. If one child seems to struggle each morning, maybe he/she isn't getting enough sleep. Consider moving the bedtime earlier in the evening if it's gotten too late.

6. Have a family meeting. If things continue to be chaotic in the mornings, sit down as a family and talk about what needs to change to make it more peaceful. Be sure to give everyone a chance to express his/her concerns and suggest solutions to the problems.

7. Don't forget to encourage the positives. When a morning does run smoothly, take time to encourage everyone for doing their part to get out the door peacefully and on time. This goes much further toward reaching goals than does complaining when it doesn't go well.

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