Balancing Your Kids + Your Morning Routine
IT's ALL ABOUT Priorities
Let's Be Real.
Mornings can sometimes be the hardest part of the day. Between the lack of sleep, lack of time, and a million "to-do's", it's easy for them to become chaotic and rushed.
Having a morning routine helps me find the time to get everything done for both me and my family in the sanest way possible. While everyone's priorities are different, here's what I put at the top of my morning list:
1. Create a stress-free environment for the children
2. Be as present as possible for the morning rhythm
3. Find a little time to get ready - With 3 kids, taking 2 hours to get ready just isn't an option anymore. That means that sometimes I have to sacrifice parts of my getting ready routine. I usually end up having to pick between hair and makeup...and for me, makeup always wins. So most days you can find me rocking a messy top-knot and a full face of makeup. But even just finding the time for makeup can be a struggle if you don't have a game-plan. Here's how I make it all work.
Do "everything" the night before
Taking the extra 20-30 minutes at night to prepare for the next day has made a huge difference in my mornings. My night-time routine goes like this:
1. Lay out the kids clothes for the next day
2. Pick out my outfit for the next day
3. Pack a bag for whatever adventure are coming the next day (swim lessons, beach gear, etc.)
4. Pack or make snacks/lunches for the next day
5. I even go as far as packing the car when I have the energy (Or I make Vinny do it when he gets home from work).
6. Shower. I used to shower in the mornings but have found that showering at night saves a lot of time in the morning and an added bonus is that I sleep better at night after showering.
Set Intentions
I truly believe that how we begin our morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. When I wake up I always set intentions for the day. I repeat the following in my head:
1. I am Happy.
2. I am Present.
3. I am Patient.
4. Today's going to be a Good Day.
Create Your MORNING Routine
Here's a look at my morning routine:
1. I wash my face and put on makeup while some of the kids are still sleeping. When they are awake, I bring a toy/activity into the bathroom and let them play while I get ready. For my children, its important that they stay in my bedroom while I get ready. I find that if I let them run around the house first thing in the morning, its harder to corral them back into their rooms to get ready.
2. While I would love to have an hour or two to get ready in the mornings, that's just not realistic and with some practice, I can now do my makeup and hair within 30 minutes (Stay tuned for my blog about my makeup and hair routine).
3. I've "trained" all the kids to know they have to get dressed before going to breakfast. It's not always perfect and some days are definitely easier than others, but by keeping a consistent routine, overall it goes as smooth as can be.
4. By that time the kids are getting restless/hungry we transition to breakfast time. We usually do a fairly simple breakfast consisting of things like oatmeal, fruit, hard-boiled eggs (cooked the day(s) before), and sometimes smoothies when we have a few extra minutes.
5. Then, all that is left to do is get everyone in the car and go.
BUILD YOUR RHYTHM
At first, it wasn't always easy to have this routine, but as time went on, it go easier and easier. I believe that children want/need a rhythm and its never too early (or late) to begin the process. When there's no surprises in the morning and they know what is coming next, they tend to want to follow those patterns. By sticking to the same rhythm day and and day out you'll find it to be smoother for everyone.
Photo Credit: https://www.megevansphoto.com/