Aha, we're entering the season of snow pants, hats, and two gloves that are both for the left hand but-it's-time-to-leave-anyway. And my soon-to-be four year old threw his one of his first major tantrums before school (this year). (It's actually the terrible threes.) My grand violation was apparently putting his hat on too quickly, but that just led to the "no, let me put my boots on even if they're backwards (front-to-back, not side-to-side)" and "what do you mean, I have to wear a seat belt like every other day of my life!" hat trick. He got bonus points for yelling loudly enough that my neighbour came out to see what was going on. So how to deal with winter meltdowns? 1. Plan ahead to keep morning routine simple Try make-ahead breakfasts to get everyone fed before the crankies strike, and invest in a coffee pot with a timer for you. Organize winter wear in the front hall, and have backpacks packed the night before. 2. Enjoy the magic of the winter season I cannot condone invoking Santa's "bad or good" clause, because in my household Santa pretty much loves you no matter what you've done. But I do know parents who wave cell phones around and mutter about having Santa on speed dial. For us, though,  pretending everyone in a snowsuit is a fireman and has to jump into his or her gear quickly in order to run to the firetruck minivan is a pretty good trick. 3. Leave early Giving everyone plenty of time for a calm start to the day can make all the difference when it comes to tantrums. Alternatively, though, if you have a partner and he or she is available, you can leave for work really early and let someone else take a  turn. How do you cope with tantrums before school? Share your tips in the comments! Here are 10 other strategies to try. (Photo: FlickrCC/M. Rehemtulla for QUOI Media Group)