What to do for the mornings to be a bit easier with kids?
It’s October already and most of You (parents and children), have started to feel the first signs of the tiredness delivering from everyday routines.
We were desperately looking for those little things in life during the almost 6-month period of lockdown and extremely difficult family situations caused by Covid-19 pandemic. We were patiently waiting for schools to be opened and the possibility to finally drop our children off to schools.
And here we are- at least those lucky people who live in places where everything seems coming back to normal – nurseries, preschools, kindergartens, and schools are open and you go to work. Once again, the everyday hustle and bustle have started.
Welcome back to normality! With this comes along the morning routine, in many cases very stressful and causing lots of torture for mothers and fathers who cannot deal with their children in the mornings, having the pressure of time to go to work.
Marcel Achard once said: “People think that success comes to those who wake up early but in reality, success comes to those who wake up in a good mood.”
First of all, it’s worth taking a look at your beliefs about the morning bustle:
Does the thought of getting up and getting ready to leave is frustrating me?
Am I afraid that as always it will not be easy – the only question is whether there will be three “fights” or five?
Do I think mornings have to be nervous and stressful and there’s nothing you can do about it?
Do I blame anyone for how our day starts?
Do I actually like mornings, or maybe I hate them?
What to do to make a change happen?
Take care of yourself!
The practice of mindfulness is extremely helpful. It is worth getting up a dozen or so minutes earlier and enjoying the silence in your favorite way – make a cup of tea or coffee and taste every sip, open the window and listen to birds singing, read a few pages of a book, and maybe watch your beloved faces asleep.
Be ready to accept what the morning and the day bring
When it gets harder – don’t despair as it gets easier – perceive it with gratitude.
Be patient
Keep practicing it, and in moments of tension, remind yourself of the saving power of breathing.
Relax in the evening
At least a few minutes before going to bed, devote to what gives us pleasure.
What is worth avoiding in the morning
Noisy and rough waking up of children – If you know they like to wake up longer, start the ritual early enough.
A quick take-off of warm pajamas – The clothing can be heated on a radiator to make it pleasant to put on.
Serving breakfast without agreeing what the child wants – Serving a meal in a bowl or mug that your little one hates.
Categorically interrupting the fun – You can take a teddy bear or a car with you to the table – here parents have to be creative.
Insistence on exercising independence – Is the morning when there are 15 minutes left to drive the child to kindergarten the best time to learn how to put on shoes or zip up a jacket? There will be many better occasions, without rush and nervous atmosphere.
Do for the child what he wants to do on his own – Ask what he\she wants to do on his own. Respect his will. You have to calculate this time by adding it to the time for the morning preparation.
What can be prepared in advance?
Prepare the clothes in the evenings
Sometimes will still happen that the child does not want to wear what he chose in the evening anyway, so maybe it is worth preparing two sets?
Not only a backpack for kindergarten or school need to be ready but also your own handbag- being perfectly prepared for the next day will make you feel better and quieter.
Day schedule
- when I know what to do and in what order, it is easy to eliminate confusion in my head and the belief that there is a busy day ahead – thanks to this, you can gain more inner peace– it’s really important.
Distribution of tasks
- one of the parents is making breakfast, the other one helps the children with the morning toilet. When an older child is at home, he can also be involved in the preparations.
Putting the house in order
- If you know that the chaos and disorder can disturb the harmony of the morning, try to deal with it in the evening, and if you can’t, remember in the morning that you decided that in the morning the house would be in disarray.
What else can you do?
Sleep
Adequate sleep for both children and parents has a positive effect on the atmosphere. In case of lack of sleep, we are irritable, tired, and more prone to loss of balance and peace.
Improve your mood
It has been known for a long time that music soothes manners – maybe a radio or CD with children’s favorite songs or with gentle relaxing music will work.
I have written about music as an extra TIP that works for the morning craziness. Read about it HERE.
Predictability
A plan of action – predictable and proven – makes organization easier. Children know what to do in the morning before leaving the house, and over time they take it as a natural turn.
Communication
Communication in a positive and personal language is easier for children to understand. It is helpful to talk about what I care about, what I want to agree to in the morning and what I don’t, and for what reason, instead of using slogans like “you don’t do this morning”, “no time for this”, “this is not allowed”.
Each change takes time
Probably, not every morning will be like a fairy tale right away, but one thing is certain: if you do not take any action, you will not take responsibility for what you have a real influence on. Don’t repeat the existing pattern but look for a possible way of change.
So, let’s start by making positive adjustments from the next Monday morning!
Good luck and have a great day!
Joanna
Xxx
PS. If you want the extra tip for the morning craziness, read HERE my previous article.
