Getting out the door in the morning is quite possibly one of the biggest challenges as a mom. You’re just trying to do what you need to do to start the day right —and to every step with your child feels like a fight, especially when your child's struggling with sensory issues - they’re melting down about socks, refusing to move, or clinging to you like a lifeline. You’re exhausted before 8am, and nothing you do seems to help.

Today, let's talking about why mornings are especially hard for kids with sensory challenges, and a few simple things you can start doing to make the morning less chaotic (because isn’t that what we all want?).

In this blog:

• What makes morning so hard from a sensory standpoint

• How trying to go faster isn't always better

• What part executive function plays in morning challenges

• 7 simple tips to help
   

Just so you know, this blog is based on my and my guests’ personal experiences, and research I’ve done as a pediatric occupational therapist. None of the below is medical, occupational therapy, or feeding therapy advice. When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission. Learn more about affiliate links.

Why Mornings Are So Hard

Let's talk about what is actually happening in the morning that's making it so hard for your kids to get moving:

1. Too much pressure, too fast: Mornings are absolutely loaded. From the moment you wake up you're expected to be on the go: getting dressed, eating, brushing teeth, packing your bag. All with bright lights, noises, and people talking. That’s a lot to take in. All of these “have-to’s” are a lot of pressure and can feel overwhelming to a kid whose nervous system is already amped up.
   
   
2. Constant transitions: Along with needing to go fast, kids are expected to quickly transition between activities.You’re asking them to go from sleep → waking up → getting dressed → getting in the car, etc. Many kids with sensory challenges already struggle with transitions, so have them back to back without time to unwind can be extremely challenging. They often need more time to shift than is allotted.
   
   
3. You are their safe person: And the biggest transition of all is a transition away from you, their safe person, if they go to school, daycare, or a nanny. Leaving you in the morning is emotional. They may cling, cry, or act out—not because they’re trying to be difficult, but because they’re anxious or overwhelmed.
   
   
4. They make be waking up already dysregulated: Children with sensory challenges often struggle to sleep soundly and consistently through the night. So they wake up already tired and with their sensory system already not feeling right. Their body simply isn't ready for all the demands coming their way (think back to a day where you woke up "on the wrong side of the bed." How did you feel when a bunch of demands were placed on you?
   
5. Morning require alot of executive functioning skills: Mornings require a high level of executive functioning skills - for example, planning, organizing, and time management. In general, children do not have fully developed executive functioning skills - they continue to develop until we are 25 years old! And even then we're still improving them. Additionally, sensory challenges are highly related to challenges with executive functioning. For more on executive functioning, make sure to check out this podcast episode with Carrie Bonnett. 

What You Can Do To Help:

Now let's get to the part you're most excited for - what in the world can you do to make mornings easier? 

1. Do whatever you can the night before: I know, I know this is one of my least favorite tips because I'm just exhausted by bedtime. But every single thing you can do the night before is one less fight. This can be especially helpful for things like picking out outfits. Even just one or two small things make mornings feel less rushed.
   
   
2. Use a visual schedule or visual timer: A visual schedule is just that - a schedule with pictures or words. You can print pictures, draw it out, buy a fancy board, or write the steps if your child can read—wake up, get dressed, eat, shoes, car, etc. This helps your child see what’s coming next without constant reminders from you. A visual timer on the other hand, is a little clock that has colors or pictures to help your child see how much time is left. This helps them be better prepared for that transition, since they can see the time is getting lower. 

    

3. Help them organize their sensory system right away: Help your child calm their sensory system by giving them the input they need to feel "just right." This is going to be different for every child. If your child wakes up groggy and sleepy - maybe they need sensory input that helps them wake up. If they need more time to shift into waking up - maybe they need slower morning transitions like gentle light, some time to cuddle, etc. Or maybe they have a ton of energy they need to get out before school - something like obstacle courses, animal walks, jumping on a trampoline might give them the input they need to get going.
   
   
4. Offer a morning snack and drink immediately after waking: Some kids may be waking up thirsty and/or hungry but not even realize it. Children with sensory challenges often struggle with interception - this is the sensory system in charge of telling us when we're hungry or thirsty. When we're thirty and hungry, we're usually not in a very good mood. It could be helpful to try this out for a couple days and see if giving them a morning wake up snack and drink improves their mood the rest of the morning.
   
   
5. Keep clothing simple: Every single thing we do shifts our sensory thermometer one way or the other. There's only so much sensory input it can take before we get too hot, pop and meltdown. Finding clothing that your child can comfortably wear lets us leave room for more important things, like transitions. There are so so many sensory-friendly clothing lines to check out. Just do a quick google search! 
   
   

6. Add extra time for transitions: Wake them a few minutes earlier, and give a heads-up before each step. “We’re brushing teeth in 2 minutes.” It helps them mentally prepare. Transitions are hard, so expect to go slower—and that’s okay. You may be surprised to find it actually gives you back more time in the mornings, since you're not spending as much time fighting.

7. Keep yourself calm: Easier said than done—but if you’re stressed, rushed, or tense, your child feels it. They rely on us to co-regulate. Your calm helps regulate their chaos. Your child picks up on everything. If your tone is rushed or snappy, it can spike their stress response. Even one deep breath before you go in their room can change the tone of the whole morning.
      

You're not failing, even if it sometimes feels like it with the chaos of the mornings. Mornings are just a huge challenges with the transitions, sensory overload, and emotions - before you've even had a chance to finish your coffee. 

And while the chances are that its not going to be perfect - because life's not perfect, you can make simple changes to make your mornings easier. Try one thing. Start small. And know that it’s okay if you’re still figuring it out.

If this episode felt like your life right now—go grab my free Sensory Survival Guide for Parents. It breaks down what might really be going on when your child is "acting out".


And if you’re ready for more support, join the waitlist for Sensory Made Simple. I’d love to help you make mornings (and everything else) feel a little easier.

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