I blame 90’s sitcoms. You know the scene. Everyone walks into the kitchen fully dressed. The whole family is eating breakfast together. Kids grab their backpacks and coats and willingly head out the door. Mornings at my house don’t look like that. And chances are yours don’t either.
Even though mornings with my three young kids don’t resemble the Tanner’s, I found a way to consistently start each day without yelling, threats, bribes, or punishments. Because the thing is, crappy mornings have a way of ruining the whole day and great mornings lead to great days. It’s why I’m so invested in getting the morning right.
So what’s the secret? Well, there are a few. (And it turns out I can’t say everything I want to in a single article. So I wrote this free guide you can snag with all the details!)
Here is how it breaks down:
Set the Stage: Great mornings start the night before. I know it’s annoying to have someone tell you to prepare for the morning. But I don’t mind being annoying. I want you to think of it as setting yourself up for minimal movement. What would it take to reduce you running around the house by 50%? By 80%?
Slow: This one is only possible if you actually set the stage. We’ve got to slow down in the morning and take time to connect with each of our kids first thing. Whether they are 2 years old or 12 years old, greet them consciously - with slowness, warmth, delight, and love.
Silly: Prepare to be playful in the morning. So often we reach for “bottom of the barrel” strategies like fear, threats, and bribes to move our kids along. You’ll be much more effective and preserve connection if you lean into playfulness. In my guide, I outline ways you can use play to stop a behavior and use play to move things forward.
Signal: This one can be particularly helpful if you’re currently finding yourself yelling, “Let’s go!” or “It’s time to leave!” like a broken record. Let something else signal the time for you. One example of this is setting an alarm to have your kiddos’ favorite song play when it’s time to get shoes on. See if you can get out the door before the song ends!
Surrender: Sh!t happens. Literally - my four year old always has to poop when it’s time to leave. Mornings will get better but they won’t be perfect. That’s ok. When things get derailed, sometimes all we can do is surrender to the moment. Kids might be late for school. We might be late for our meeting. But it’s all going to be alright.
This guide comes from my heart and my experience. This isn’t generic and it isn’t a recycling of things you’ve already heard. It’s packed with value that WILL improve your mornings.
I can’t wait for you to try it. Let me know how it goes! Seriously. I want to know. You can get in touch with me at rachael@parentingonmars.com.
