If you’re a busy working mom, you don’t need us to tell you that mornings can be quite the hellish experience - and on the regular, too. After all, getting yourself ready for work, grabbing breakfast, mentally preparing for the day ahead, and doing the commute can be enough to contend with, but throw a child into the mix and it can be a recipe for disaster. Or at least for a bad start to the day! With that in mind, here are some handy tips to help you get your day off to a better start.
Morning tantrums, tears and tribulations don’t have to be par for the course. With a little bit of careful time management and some artful handling of your child, you too can have a stress-free household in the mornings. Having said that, these tips don’t come with a cast-iron guarantee, but we’re sure you’ll find at least one of them to be of some help!
Create some space for yourself
Maybe dragging your child out of bed in the mornings is a colossal feat in itself but, if you have an early riser, try setting a few ground rules - such as asking your child to stay and quietly play in their bedroom or playroom until you are ready for them. Tell him or her that you will fetch or call them when you are ready to give them breakfast or to help them get dressed. This will give you some breathing space to get yourself up and ready before having to deal with a million questions and possible tantrums!
Help them to help you
In the same spirit, get your child involved in their own getting-ready routine. Whether it’s making their own bed, washing their face, or picking out their socks, shoes and underwear, this will save you valuable minutes of your own time. And with a bit of luck it will quickly become so commonplace that you won’t need to waste time cajoling and wheedling them into brushing their teeth and so on, but will simply be able to ask them to “go and get ready”. It’s also a great way to instill a sense of responsibility in your little one - and you may even find they like the sense of being an important part of the morning’s duties.
Don’t try and do everything
As women, multitasking often comes as second nature, and we’re constantly being told by the media that women are born to juggle multiple chores at any given time, whereas men are not. It seems to us that the men are getting off lightly here! If you’re living with a partner, regardless of gender, if you’re the one that is taking the brunt of the morning trauma then it’s time to delegate. Is there something your significant other can handle just as ably, if not better, than you? It could be anything from checking that book or gym bags are packed and ready to go, to ensuring that packed lunch or lunch money is taken care of.
Preparation is everything
Although it’s the last thing you want to do after a busy day at work, cooking dinner and maybe even squeezing in a trip to the gym, it is well worth prepping for the coming day before you finally rest your weary bones. When you know what to expect from tomorrow, you’ll be a lot less likely to be frazzled in the morning - which means that conflict will be far less likely to erupt when faced with a demanding or stubborn child. Plan your outfit, back your work and gym bag, and make your lunch if you take your own.
In the same vein, getting as much of your child’s kit ready for the following day will bring relief in the morning, too. Getting into a routine where you pick your children’s clothes out at night need not be a chore, and can be a great way of bonding with fashion-conscious youngsters. And let’s face it, tantrums over “I don’t want to wear the red t-shirt!” are the one thing you want to avoid first thing in the morning. So let that hard-earned glass of wine wait just a few minutes longer – you’ll thank yourself for being so prepared when it comes to the morning!
If you could use a little help de-stressing, or want to know how to fit an exercise plan into your already busy schedule, why not give us a call today - we’d love to have a chat about how we can help make your life happier and healthier!
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