Rise & shine? More like rise & struggle…

Tips to make mornings less stressful

Mornings are the bane of many a mom.  You may or may not have gotten a decent night’s sleep, and now it’s time to start a brand new day and tackle its many demands.  If you have school-aged kids, you’re probably on a tight schedule; if you also have a baby, you likely feel pulled in a million different directions.  And it’s probably not even 7am yet!  Serenity now.

Here are a few tips we’ve found helpful in making mornings run a little bit smoother:

Prepare anything you can the night before

Seriously.  You’ll be glad you did.  Even if you might not feel like getting your kids’ backpacks, lunches, etc. organized the night before, accomplishing these kinds of tasks ahead-of-time makes things way less chaotic when morning rolls around. (Especially if you are someone who gets stressed or flustered easily.)

Build a routine

And stick to it.  Naturally, kids are unpredictable—but try (and try again) to get them on a regular routine.  Out of bed, eating breakfast, getting dressed, into the car...  You’re the best judge of how long all of these take at your house, and—accordingly—what the timetable should be.  (Then, build in a little bit of a cushion so the mornings don’t constantly feel like a mad dash!)

Mix-and-match outfits

One easy way to simply mornings is with outfits that easily mix-and-match.  Think of this strategy as a “capsule wardrobe” for kids, with tops and bottoms that can seamlessly interchange with one another.  Can’t find the go-to blue skirt your kid loves to wear with her favorite graphic tee?  Well, if she also has blue pants, or another skirt that also matches the tee, you’re good to go!  

Keep breakfast simple & nutritional

Of course everyone loves pancakes, artfully garnished with sliced strawberries and a side of eggs, but…that’s what weekends are for.  On weekdays, keep breakfast simple!  Some of our favorite easy, nutritious go-to’s are: oatmeal with fruit, whole-grain cereal, yogurt/granola parfaits, and open-face English muffins topped with peanut-butter-and banana or eggs-and-tomatoes.

Give these helpful hints a try—and we hope any morning frowns will soon be turned upside down!  Carpe diem!