4 Quick Helps for Mom’s Morning Routine
I have to admit that I laugh when I see the words “Mom’s Morning Routine.” Do all moms have routines? Am I supposed to have one? I can’t really imagine doing the same thing every morning because so much depends on my kiddos’ sleep decisions the night before. I mean, if the toddler announces at 2:30am that she is “all done sleeping now,” or the big kid gets up to go potty at 4am, routines change, right? Well, here they do anyway.
Tip #1: It’s OK to Eat Cereal
I’d love to say that I go for a nutritious breakfast to fuel my day with energy. I’d also like to say I drink coffee, but I don’t. So, I need to eat FAST to avoid blood sugar lows and mommy crabbiness. The fast thing to get in my tummy is the old standby: cereal. I sometimes opt for toast or a bagel, but usually speed is the name of the game. I’d rather make sure I am spiritually fed for the day and sacrifice the protein-rich, gluten-free, organic meal with veggie smoothie. I am in no way mocking that. Seriously. I am somewhat jealous that other mommas seem to have time for both. I simply have not been able to make it work here. So for me, for now, it’s a choice between the two. I do focus on healthy snacks and lunch options in an attempt to balance things out.ย Just give yourself a pass on breakfast if needed, momma.
Tip #2: Get Dressed Right Away
I realize that there are so many things that can stand in the way of getting stuff done around the house. So this is an easy win for me. I feel so much better about my day if I tackle it in jeans instead of jammies. I also make sure I brush my hair and style it for whatever fits the day: all up for homeschool, half-back for running errands, etc. I wish I had time to using styling tools and such, but realistically I have about 2-3 minutes to spend on my hair, if that. I usually have to respond to someone’s shrill cry mid-brushing. So here’s what I use for the ease, comfort and cuteness. It’s a major plus that they also solved my hair headache problem (and associated irritability) throughout the day.
Tip #3: Pick a Winner
My brain is like a 24-7 swirling mish-mash of a million to-dos and lists and ideas. Morning is not the time to sort all that out. Thinking of all that needs done completely cripples and frustrates me. Take the time (for me it’s right after my quiet time with the Lord) to pick a winner. What’s going to be the ONE thing you want to get done in that day? I know, you have more than one thing. I’m not talking about things that need to happen daily, like meals and laundry and kiddie care. For me today, it was scrubbing the bathtub. Tomorrow, it will be going to the grocery store. Monday it will be the upstairs floors. You see what I mean? Just one thing. Then when you do your one thing, you can also pick a new winner if your day allows. My day starts off with so much less pressure this way and I actually get more done with a much more joyful, calm spirit. Multi-tasking isn’t for mornings.
Tip #4: “Tomorrow is Always Fresh With No Mistakes in It”
I just love Anne. In fact, no lie, I played a song from the movie at my wedding. The title of this final tip holds one of my favorite lines from the “Anne of Green Gables” series. Mommas, it’s easy to start a new day with reminders of yesterday’s failures and frustrations still in your mind. Morning is a great time to spread the freshness around! Let everyone know that they can make today great and choose good choices. How motivated will you or your kiddos be if everyone feels they have already lost the day first thing in the morning? Try this: after filling their bellies, give each kiddo your full attention, even for just 5 minutes. It doesn’t matter what happens in that 5 minutes, but just that small amount of time gives the freshness to the day. Usually in that time, I like to actually tell my kids that the day is new and talk about what we’re going to do. We often sing “This is the Day” during this time, too. I know not every day will start this way, but we try to aim for a majority. Trust me, you gain time later in the day by just investing this time in the morning.
And that’s it. That’s how I approach mornings after struggling through many ugly ones. These changes have made such a difference and get me ready to focus on my time in the Word, serving my family and showing Christ to them.
