Jim Taylor, PhD, author of Your Children Are Listening, offers these strategies for a better morning routine.

1 You first
Set your alarm for at least 45 minutes before your kids get up so you can shower, dress and get organized. You’ll be calmer if you’ve already got your act together before the kids enter the picture.

2 Breakfast prep
Put the cereal, toast and banana slices on the table and lay out their clothes before the kids wake up. keep them moving forward—when one a.m. task is done, it’s on to the next.

3 Buffer time
Always allot an extra 15 minutes for the unexpected—MIA math homework, an escaped hamster or a hunt for car keys. If things go well, use those extra minutes to chat and play.

Tip
Have kids chart and check off a.m. chores. They love checklists.