The smarts start right here! From one tired mama to another I’m excited to share a few ways I’m organizing my days by starting the mornings strong! Feel free to chime in with your mornings tips too! Solidarity, ya’ll, solidarity!
Wake Up When Your Alarm Goes Off
Just. Do. It. No, you don’t want to, but yes, it will help your morning progress.
Lay Your Clothes Out the Night Before
Technically, don’t just lay yours out, lay the kids out too! We lay out a “body”of clothes on the floor complete with undies, socks, and hair accessories!
Choose a Breakfast That Will Stick to Your Bones
I have long been a believer in hearty breakfasts. The kids and I tend to alternate between eggs and oatmeal .. especially in the Fall when it’s chilly out. Even Reid joins us in this breakfast tradition now! I’ve been mixing a dollop of pear baby food in his GERBER OATMEAL CEREAL lately to help keep him regular and he gobbles it right up :) Gerber cereals are non-GMO and high in iron and essential vitamins so they’re a perfect start to the morning. Read more about GERBER CEREAL nutrition here and check out all the single grain variations … which of the four would your little one like most?
Drink Water Before Coffee
I’ll never tell ya to give up your cup o’ joe, but, I will say that you should guzzle a good 16 ounces of water before sipping on your daily fuel :)
Set Fair Expectations
Kid thrive on following a schedule so outline your mornings with them so they know exactly what to expect. Max knows that if he buzzes through getting dressed (which he hates) and brushing his teeth (which he hates more) that he will get to choose a show to watch. Am I dangling a carrot in front of that boy? Why yes, yes I am.
Load the Car the Night Before
Much like laying out clothes, I’ve found that our mornings are way less stressful if I take everything we need for the day to the car once I get the kids in bed. Returns, my grocery list, sippy cups, Jemma’s book, extra diapers, snacks … pretty much, everything but my purse and the kids gets loaded up in the evening. Then, in the morning all I have to do is grab my purse and buckle the crew.
Start One Chore Before You Go
This might seem a touch overzealous but I feel so much better leaving the house if I’ve started the dishwasher, tossed in a load of laundry, or turned on the robot vacuum. Knowing that “work” is getting done while I’m away makes me happy and gives me a starting point when I return.
Next time you’re at Walmart, be sure to grab oatmeal for the whole family because without a healthy start to the day, everything will go down hill. I know, we’ve missed breakfast before and paid the price with tears, drama, and major fits! GERBER CEREALS are located near the baby food and you can take a peek at my recipe for crockpot oatmeal that’s perfect for big kids and adults!
What are your tips for starting the morning strong?
If the weather agrees, I often step outside for a moment or two when I’m first awake. There’s something about the fresh morning air and the new sunrise that seems to put the morning on the right track. Also, a great resource is What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam. The book(let) is about 100 pages and has some original ideas on how to use mornings to their fullest potential.
Love that idea! I want to read that book too :) Thanks for chiming in!
It’s a breeze as audiobook – only about an hour long, I think.
I’m so not a morning person so I’m always looking for any tips to help the mornings go more smoothly. Thank you for this list it’s simple enough not to be overwhelming and could actually help smooth over the morning bumps.
Great tip on the fuel part. I’m going to drink water. Before my coffee. Also love that part loading the car with the stuff for the next morning. One thing I do is lay out clothes for my older daughter to be ready in the morning.