When it comes to mindful parenting, mornings are my biggest challenge. My husband leaves for work very early so I have to get the kids all packed and ready for school and daycare… while also getting ready for work. Needless to say, morning time is when I most often lose my cool. I have spent many mornings driving into work full of guilt and regret for the way I snapped at my kids. It is not a good feeling. Trying to control myself and be more aware of the situation just wasn’t enough. Kids are button pushers and patience killers. From breakdowns over socks to breakfast battles and those last-minute bathroom trips (of course as we are just about to walk out of the door), staying chill is NOT as easy as it sounds.
I kicked off this school year by making over our entire morning routine. I have been having much fewer crazy-screaming-my-head-off mom moments and a lot more pleasant mornings.
Here are tips to help you keep your cool on busy mornings:
Wake Up Right: As soon as you wake up, drink a big glass of water. Don’t TOUCH your phone, unless it is to turn off your alarm. I like to stay away from technology for the first 30 minutes of my day. Take a few deep breaths, meditate, read a devotional or remind yourself in your head (or out loud) what you have to be grateful for and why you are going to have an awesome day. It helps kick the day off on a positive note.
Get Ready While the Kids Are Sleeping: This has been a serious game-changer for me. It is really difficult to help my kids get ready, while I am trying to blowdry my hair and iron clothes for work. I was all over the place and if my kids had an issue of any kind (which always happens) then it would aggravate me to help them since I had to get ready, too. Now, my goal every morning is to be COMPLETELY ready for work by 6:30am. That means I’m dressed, with makeup on, before they even wake up. This one change in routine has make the biggest difference. Since I am completely ready, I can focus the rest of the morning solely on my kids.
Leave the TV Off: My kids can’t watch any TV in the morning, even when they have extra time. If they get ready really fast for some reason, I have them tidy up their rooms or play in the playroom. I don’t know about you, but TV is a HUGE distraction for my kids and they can barely eat breakfast while it is on. The only time I break this rule is when my son wakes up REALLY early. Sometimes he wakes up at 5:30am, so I let him watch a show on the couch.
Avoid Breakfast Battles: I have been trying to cut added sugars from my diet, but when it comes to my kids it has been a challenge. I simply don’t have time to prep and make homemade breakfasts for them, especially since the stuff I make never tastes good anyway. The foods I was attempting to give them wasn’t cutting it, and we were arguing over breakfast daily. Now I try to find the healthiest options out of the foods that my kids will eat. My daughter is an eggs and pancakes girl, so breakfast for her is easy. My son loves cereal and yogurt, so getting him to make healthy changes has been a bit more difficult. All schools in South Florida are required to offer free breakfast. So my son would just pretend to nibble on what I was giving him, but then raid the school cafeteria before class to load up on chocolate milk and sugar-filled cereals. Ugh.
Together, we found cereals that he liked, while having my nutritional approval. It was NOT easy, and I had to give a bit on the sugar content. We are going through a Great Grains phase right now. He loves the crunchy pecan flavor and says it keeps him full until lunchtime. (which is later now since he is a 2nd grader) With 5 grams of protein and 39 grams of whole grain per serving it is one of the few cereals I don’t mind him eating… that he actually LIKES. A healthy morning routine is a bonus for everyone.
Apparently my son doesn’t like his picture taken first thing in the morning as he tried to eat breakfast. Who knew?
Use Time Blocks: I have set time blocks to make sure the morning goes smoothly. I have a time when I need to be ready, a set time for my kids to be dressed, another time when they need to be finished with breakfast, etc. My son knows by 7:20 he needs to have his socks on, teeth brushed and be ready to go. The morning routine is broken into little segments that is scheduled to the minute and it makes it so much easier to get out the door on time.
Pad Your Leave Time: I have talked about this before. I know I can leave at 7:40 and get everyone where they need to be on time. However, my kids think we have to be out the door by 7:25. This gives meat least 10 extra minutes to work with. This leaves time for last minute breakdowns, bathroom breaks and everyone’s favorite, “I just need to grab one thing!” Now I don’t flip out if they forgot something since they are just kids, and I’ve built in extra time.
There are my tips to help you keep your cool on busy mornings. I have had far fewer crazy mom moments, but I’m not perfect. (7 toddler outfit changes before 7am will drive anyone mad I tell ya!) What are you favorite ways to make your morning routine run smoothly? Be sure to check out Great Grains Cereal and click here for some awesome coupons on Post products!
Really great tips! I find it’s helpful to have a routine and be as prepared as possible before I go to bed, plus get up before everyone.
I like to pack up snacks the night before to cut down on lunch packing time in the morning too!
I 100% agree that TV is a HUGE distraction and it just stops them from moving, thus possibly falling back asleep on the couch. My dad use to do this all of the time when he would get ready for work lol! He’d sit down to watch for the weather (pre-Internet believe it or not!) and he’d fall back asleep on the couch until my mom would wake him back up haha!
haha too funny! My kids already have selective hearing, and the TV being on just makes it worse!
I also try to do as much as I can when the kids are asleep! It makes such a huge difference that it isn’t even that tempting to sleep in anymore 🙂 Great tips! I think time blocks will also be helpful at bedtime – the other stressful time of the day in our house.
Yeah it was hard to make the change, but now that I wake up early I could never go back! I should probably start time blocks at night too!
Love these tips! Getting ready before the kids get up is a total win. With three little ones at home I don’t have to cross my fingers that I get a shower that day if I get up and do it before they’re awake. 🙂
it was really hard to get into that routine, but it is SO worth it.
Such great tips! Get everyone ready in the morning can be such a hassle sometimes.
It is crazy! Esp when my daughter changes outfits 5 times!
My schedule has been thrown completely off now that my son and husband get up before I leave. I will certainly be trying out some of these tips!
The transition from summer to back to school is hard for me, so I know a change of routine can be disruptive!
Great tips, although I don’t have kids, but definitely will take note to the others points.
http://bit.ly/LifestylewithDanny
I think a good morning routine helps with our without kids 😉
I don’t have kids yet and my mornings are pretty much ten minutes to get ready before I run out the door for work.
That is amazing! (& I am jealous of your stealthy get ready abilities!) 😉
Definitely an excellent post. I found that if I stay positive in the morning, and don’t act grouchy when waking up things will be fine! xx Adaleta Avdic
Yes a positive outlook can go a long way!
Thank you for these tips and reminders. I definitely need to work on waking up right, padding my time and having time blocks. This morning we were late and we hate being late. Although I try to tell my daughter that as long as we get there safely.
That is why I had to make a big change, I felt like I was ALWAYS late and I would end up losing my patience with the kids even though it is ultimately MY responsibility to make sure I give them enough time to get ready, etc. The time blocks and padding time really helps 🙂
Oh yes! The “get ready before the baby wakes up” trick is the only way I get to drink coffee or wash my face in the morning. But I’m so dang guilty of paying on my phone! Before I even get out of bed, I’ve checked and responded to emails and got caught up on social media.
I have found I stay more calm when I wait a bit before hopping on my phone. Usually there is a ton of work stuff that I just dont have to deal with (or stress about) until after the kids are ready and dropped off. 🙂
In our family of three, we all need to be at the door by 7 am (6.45 am is better!) I used to wake up at 5.45 am & get ready before our son wakes up, but then kinda easied out of it. For now we all wake up at 6 am, then I take care of our baby, change his diaper, dress him up, brush his teeth, feed breakfast & put in car seat. My mission is done! Sometimes he can play a little while I am dressing up & putting a minimum make up, but then most of the times i eat my breakfast at work. I pack oatmeal with a pinch of cinnamon & dates/raisins for everyone the night before, so in the morning I just need to add hot water & banana (no extra sugar), and we are good. It works for now, but I am not sure how long it will take when Alex will Learn to hold a spoon (he is almost 15 months now). Uhh, I might have to switch back to 5.45am mornings then 🙁
That is awesome that you can get ready and out the door in 45 minutes!
Great tips – I am guilty of looking at my phone right away when I wake up. It’s such a bad habit!
I am tempted sometimes too, but I feel so much better when I just leave it for a bit!
We do time blocks too AND love great grains! I love the one with dates. GREAT post as usual!
Excellent tips! We’re only one week into the school year so far but so far, so good! 🙂 That cereal looks delicious. I’ll have to seek out one of their flavors that doesn’t have pecans in them – great to have more healthy grains and less sugar in the morning!
This is so smart! I always try to pad leave time because inevitably something will always come up last minute! We also have a cereal rule that it can’t have more than 8 g of sugar. Otherwise it’s out 🙂
haha yes! My family always thinks all of our appointments are 30 minutes before they actually are. *wink!
I’m with you on getting ready before everyone else gets up too. I like to listen to the news while I do my makeup. Something I can never get a chance to do during the day.
I am a morning protein girl myself. I feel like kids have to have it or their brains go mushy. But I keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge, bacon I have already cooked, raw veggies and chicken breast. Breakfast doesn’t have to be “breakfast.” :-).
pad your leave time– this is huge for me. i can’t seem to do that because it feels like i’m wasting time. need to remind myself to do this!
Absolutely fab ideas! I always have such busy mornings and I get so stressed out. x
Such great tips! We have the hardest time in the morning with my toddler!
I’m counting down to the days when my oldest wakes up at a normal hour so I can get things done before he wakes up! He’s currently a 5 am rooster and I cannot bring myself to get up at 4 am haha. The time cushion is something I seriously need to implement too!
Dear Lauren,
I came across your blog when I was searching about working mom experience, since me and my husband are planning to have our little one next year, since I’m an entry level Environmental Engineer and my husband is working long hours, I was a bit concerned about how are we going to manage it.
I started reading a blog post after one and I have enjoyed it. It looks so real, honest and spontaneous.
Keep it up,
All love from Bahrain xx
I love the stay away from technology part too. That really helps me control the day. It puts me in charge verses the rest of the world.
Thanks for sharing!
Great tips! I am SO not a morning person!