The Alternative GCSE Podcast
Hello and welcome to the Alternative GCSE podcast … … I am your host Emma Howe, teen coach, advocate of education reform and I have a successful business within the education sector which I started 8 years ago … I started this as a way to help as many teens and parents of teens as possible to get talking and thinking about some important subjects that will help to carry them through the rest of their lives and help you all to be better and achieve more in your personal and professional lives.
The Alternative GCSE Podcast
Season 4 Episode 1 – Teen vs Parent Morning Routines: What Really Works
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Emma Jane Howe
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Season 4
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Episode 1
A calm morning isn’t just nice to have—it’s brain fuel. In this 25-minute episode, Emma reveals the science and real-life strategies behind smoother school mornings.
Discover how teen biology, sleep cycles, and even the mere presence of a phone can make or break attention and memory. Learn practical steps to cut stress the night before, build a foolproof morning checklist, and create routines that work for both parents and teens.
What you’ll take away:
- Evidence on teen sleep needs and why early starts can derail focus.
- The link between evening screen use, melatonin, and next-day energy.
- A ready-to-go student morning plan: tech taper, single alarm, smart breakfast, and a two-minute memory warm-up.
- Parent playbook tips for fewer arguments and on-time exits.
Emma ends with a fun five-day family challenge and a free printable Morning Routine Checklist to make great mornings the new normal.
Perfect for GCSE students, parents, and anyone who wants a calmer, sharper start to the day.
Show notes — cited research
- Sleep duration guidance (teens 13–18: 8–10h): American Academy of Sleep Medicine; AASM/AAP consensus. AASM+1
- School start time evidence (sleep & outcomes): AAP policy; CDC/peer-reviewed review of 38 reports. AAP Publications+1
- Evening screens & sleep: Reviews linking light-emitting device use to delayed melatonin/poorer sleep. PMC+1
- Smartphone presence & attention: Review and empirical studies on cognitive costs of phone presence. PMC+1
- Breakfast & cognition: Systematic reviews on breakfast’s short-term benefits for attention/memory. PMC+1
- Social jetlag / weekend shift considerations: Consensus and expert commentary on circadian alignment in adolescents. Sleep Health Journal
