Why mornings unravel
Cognitive load is high, time is short, and kids mirror our pace. The fix is not more talk—it's smaller, consistent signals of attention.
The 3 questions
1) What are you excited for? 2) What might be tricky? 3) How can I help once? Track the answers so you can follow up after school.
How to keep it light
Smile with your eyes, one short turn each, no advice unless asked. Use Mom&Dad Tracker to note 'excitement' and 'tricky'—watch patterns weekly.
One-week effect
Parents report fewer last-minute meltdowns, more predictable transitions, and kids remembering to ask for the single help they named.