Morning Routines

Mornings can be relatively easy for some parents — usually those personality types that are good at routines such as Classics, Organic Structures and Smart Structures — and tougher for others. Today, Classic Freedom Kelly gives you her tips on speeding through your mornings more easily with kids.

First, if mornings are not your thing then nothing will make you happier than reading MotherStyles by Janet Penley. It’s kind of like a Pixie self-help mothering/parenting book. While mornings are not my struggle, the book did help me immensely because right there in black and white was my struggle as a Classic Freedom (SFJ) mother — guilt. Umm, yes!

Before reading the book, I felt guilty when reading the newspaper while my son and I ate breakfast together. I’d always charged up for the day reading the newspaper but felt guilty doing so when my son came around. But the book helped me banish my guilt because I know it’s just me being me and I have loads of things that make me an exceptional mother — such as routines, I’m brilliant with them.

So here are some helpful morning routines to get you and the kid(s) out the door insanely fast. You’ll notice a pattern:

  • Put kids clothes out the night before. Also yours as well. As a kid I used to SLEEP in my next day clothes and even put out my shoes and socks — it is amazing that I wasn’t a complete social outcast. These days, I have been known to sleep in my workout clothes if I have an early morning workout. What’s sexier than a jogging bra in bed? Seriously, it ensures I get to the gym.
  • Make lunch ahead of time and put it in the fridge. If you’re doing sandwiches, wet your hands and pat the outside of the bread. It keeps ’em moist. This is actually a trick from my Smart Freedom (NTP) brother-in-law, Bob.
  • If possible, each parent takes on a different role — mom helps getting dressed & brushing teeth, dad does breakfast, mom walks dog etc. (This is my Smart Freedom (NTP) and Organic Freedom (NFP) routine)
  • Pop a quick post-it note in their lunchbox for support or just a sweet message. My mom either never did this or it was so rare that I wished she’d done it more often. I was so jealous of some of my friend’s daily missives.
  • Prep your coffee/tea the night before. Okay, so technically this just takes 3-5 minutes but you’d be surprised what you can do in that amount of time to make it out the door. Oh say, brush your hair/teeth, apply mascara. So, measure out the coffee and water before going to bed and coffee is just a button push away. I even put out my cup sometimes. Oh wait, does that make me nutty?? (Katie says YES! And Starbuck’s owes it’s success to all those types who don’t always have the time to make their own coffee or breakfast! This tends to be all busy types, but especially Smart Freedoms and Organic Freedoms.)
  • Ensure your bags are all packed up and ready to go before bed.

Did you notice the pattern?? Do it all before you go to bed and you’re less likely to forget anything in the morning fog and you’re more likely to get out the door on time. I think my morning tips are technicallly singular. (OR, Katie adds, just get up earlier!)