Many families are either preparing to go back to school or have already started. Mornings went from went from a slow stroll to a frantic sprint. Nights were quiet and peaceful, and now only homework awaits. Summer is now just a distant sight in the rear-view mirror. If you're like me, you've gone to a dozen different stores to find the right pencils and colored folders. You can almost hear the school bus coming to a stop across the street which reminds people that mornings now feel like a mad dash out the door and you begin to dread the upcoming evening of homework, dinner, shower, and bedtime tug-of-war. I don't know about you, but the transition from summer to back to school would be quite shocking!

Nobody likes having a stressful morning routine for school that ends up making you late. It knocks you off your game, messes with your mood ... and often causes you to leave something important at home, right on the kitchen counter. These morning routine tips and tricks will help you get up on time and get ready faster — none of them involve setting an alarm earlier than you have to. Follow these simple strategies to simplify your morning school routine and you'll never be late for your first class again. Not only will these ideas help you get through your first week, but they will also help you manage the year successfully.

Older kids (junior, high school, and college students) can handle this morning's routine on their own. For younger children, step through the routine with them. Once they're older, they can do it themselves, giving parents some precious free time in the evenings and mornings before school starts.

• The Night Before

For a smooth school morning, it helps to plan ahead. Encourage your kids to do what they can the night before. Check the weather forecast. Knowing the weather for tomorrow will help you pack things and choose your outfit. With the forecast in mind, you know whether to dress for sun, rain, snow, hot temperatures, or cold. Pick out all your clothes and lay them out or hang them somewhere so you can easily grab them all in the morning to get dressed quickly.

Pack your bag. Make sure your books, papers, laptop, headphones, keys, and other essentials are ready for school. And make sure all electronics are fully charged. If you use your phone as an alarm, then leave it charging across the room to force you to get up in the morning to turn off the alarm. This will help you get out of bed earlier and give you more time to prepare for the day.

The more you do when you're wide awake, the less you'll forget next morning. Encouraging children to prepare for the next day teaches them important life skills, such as independence and time management. So don't shy away from assigning some of this work to your kids.

Many families find it useful to have a designated space at home to store everything they need for the next day. Doing this will save them from running around the house the next morning looking for what they need. As much as possible, prepare your lunch the night before. Get anything you can make ahead of time, like sandwiches or sliced fruit, and put them in containers or resealable bags. This way you can quickly pack them into your lunch box in the morning. If your parents prepare your lunch for you, then ask them nicely if they can do it the night before so you can have a great morning routine.

A shower before bed can save time in the morning. Wash your body and hair at night so you don't have to do it before school. You'll wake up feeling clean and have less to do to get ready. Taking a hot bath about an hour before bed can also help you relax and fall asleep more easily.

• The Morning

On your first day back to school, start your morning 15 to 20 minutes earlier than you think you need to. You can adjust your wake-up time as the school year progresses. But a little extra time is a nice buffer against those unexpected hiccups that everyone experiences.

Eat a healthy breakfast to refuel. Try eating a combination of protein and carbohydrates at breakfast to provide plenty of energy for the day. Cereal with milk, eggs with toast, or yogurt with granola are all good choices. If you didn't brush your teeth earlier, remember to brush your teeth after eating breakfast. It's important for your dental health and fresh breath!

Do any morning chores once you are all ready to go. Take your dog out or feed your cat, for example. Help younger siblings, if you have any, get ready for school as well. Avoid the temptation to sit and watch TV or browse the Internet. Try filling your mornings with productive activities to help you and your family prepare for the day.

Even if they are all hard to do at first, keep practicing and do your best. Having a great morning routine before school is all about creating good habits. You’ll get there eventually!