Your clock radio goes off at 6:30am and like a runner out of the starting block, you begin the morning rush. You shower, dress, wake the kids, get them breakfast, fix school lunches, attempt a cup of coffee, find missing homework, pack backpacks, brush a couple bedheads, double-knot your 1st grader's sneakers and dash out the door. It's downright alarming how much gets accomplished before the school bell rings. If getting to 8 a.m. feels like an entire day's work, some simple A.M. strategies may be all that's necessary to put the "good" back in to your morning.

Anticipate Tomorrow Today
Donna Goldberg, author of The Organized Student, says our success in the morning starts the night before. "No matter how much money you have, you can't buy more time. But with a little planning, you can save it."

Lunch: While cooking dinner (or cleaning it up), for example, get a jump on the next day's lunches. Have the kids clean out their lunch boxes and add water bottles, napkins, no-spoil food (boxed raisins, crackers, baggies filled with pretzels or nuts). "Whatever you can cross off your list tonight gains you precious minutes in the morning," says Goldberg.

Clothes: Other nighttime tasks should include readying backpacks and selecting the next day's Uniform. Psychologist and mom of three Debbie Glasser, Ph.D., says it's easy to make wardrobe selection fun. "Show your kids how to lay clothing on the floor to look like them -- shirt on top, pants on the bottom, accessories to match and socks underneath."

  Calendar: For children ages 7 and up, checking the family calendar should become a nightly ritual. A large, centrally located calendar is vital. Some families code entries by assigning each family member a colour. "That way it's easy for kids to distinguish their schedules from everyone else's and it gives them a sense that we're all in this together!" says Peel.

Rise to the Occasion
What's the best way to get sleepyheads out of bed? Children under 7 can't developmentally understand the concept of time -- how to manage it comes even later -- but even 1^st graders can respond to a bell, buzzer, or favorite song. Glasser doesn't recommend alarm clocks for all children. "Some kids feel stressed by a buzzer or bell," she warns.

Technologically savvy preteens may enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to set their cell phone, computer, or wristwatch to wake them. For super sleepyheads, be sure to put the clock, watch, or iPod across the room. This tactic forces kids to get out of bed and get moving.

Silence Stress -- Yours and Theirs
Two hours of lead time should be enough to get your family through the morning and out the door on time. But as Glasser points out, mom sets the tone for the day, so you may want to start yours early enough to build in some solo time.

Her advice: "Take the time you need to get your act together first! If the family rises at 7, wake up at 6.30am. Enjoy a cup of coffee alone, meditate, pray, or shower before everyone else is awake. The best gift you can give your child in the morning is the feeling of being happy to start the day."

Gentle reminders: Childhood development may be partially to blame for morning stress. "Kids' brains aren't the same as ours: They're still developing. They can't absorb much more than small bits of information at a time and may be overwhelmed by the amount of information and directives you're doling out in the a.m.," says Glasser.

Instead of issuing repeated reminders, Glasser recommends using a visual prompt. List morning tasks (bed-making, dressing, brushing teeth and hair, eating breakfast, etc.) on a piece of brightly colored posterboard that you keep in the kitchen (or try our printable checklist). "Instead of barking orders and hurrying your child along, tell him to check the chart so he knows what still needs to be done. It sure beats nagging."

Keep it quiet: Television can really add to morning chaos as well. Forbid kids' programming before school Monday through Thursday. Leaving the house on time can be rewarded on Friday morning with 10 minutes of TV if (and only if) everyone is completely ready to walk out the door for school.

Easy edibles: Don't even think about making anything more complicated than cereal on weekdays. For variety, serve hard boiled eggs (made in advance, of course) and plain yogurt -- instead of milk -- with cereal. "If kids enjoy pancakes and French toast, make extra on the weekend and freeze them. Then, pop in toaster or microwave for a quick and easy before school breakfast," says Peel.

Groomed for success: If shoe-tying and ponytail-making are making you late everyday, set aside 20 minutes to practice on Saturday. And try these handy hints: Wrap a week's worth of hair elastics around the end of your daughter's brush to keep them on hand-no more lengthy searches when it's time for hair-styling.