My Dressing Chart - A Timed Activity
Hey guys! So, since school started, we have been having a very hard time getting out the door on time.
The main issue was that it was taking me about 15 times to ask my son to go get dressed before he actually did what I asked him to do. It was a major source of my frustration and I starting my day off in the worst possible way, by yelling and losing my cool.
I didn’t want to stay in this place of frustration and drama over getting dressed every single morning, so I knew something major needed to change in our morning school routine.
Enter the heavenly, timed sticker chart for dressing. Praise the Lord! This thing has been a MAJOR game changer. We have had easy breezy timely mornings since we started using this little guy.
Here’s how it works, you guys! You set out your child’s clothes and shoes the night before in a distraction and toy free zone (think: bathroom or walk-in closet). Agree on the terms beforehand with your child. We agreed that if he listened and obeyed the first time I asked, every day that week and received 5 stickers, he would be able to pick out a toy on Friday from the dollar store. We agreed that this would be a timed activity of only 5 little minutes and that I would be setting a timer and he would have to race to beat the clock.
You guys, my son, the ultimate morning dwaddler, got dressed in less than THREE MINUTES THIS MORNING!! I used his innate need for competition in my favor by starting the race with the words, “On your mark, get set, GO!” and he did what he was supposed to do quickly and efficiently and we actually made it to school on time. Even better, we made it through our morning routine with no drama or yelling and we even had some EXTRA time to play!!
How incredible is that??
Since it has been such an awesome tool for our family, I thought I would offer it to other moms who might be struggling with the same thing.
Do you have a morning time dawdler too? Do you have to tell your child 100 times OR raise your voice in order for them to finally put their shoes on to get out the door? I believe this timed dressing chart can help you too, my friend!
I have uploaded the download as one of my first printable downloads in the shop here. You can download and and instantly print it out. I laminated mine so it would look nice and neat and crumple-free.
Let me know in the comment box below if you found this helpful or have a morning dwaddler yourself!
Here is our scripture of the week on obedience to memorize and discuss with your kiddos this week! You can post it on the fridge or write it on a chalkboard! I put it on a mason jar and every time my childdren show obedience by listening in any way,8 let them put a ball in the obedience jar (you can use anything but we use the colorful cotton balls from the dollar store.)
”Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” Colossians 3:20
This scripture, along with another is on the printout, too!
