5 Ways To Make Mornings With Kids Easier

Posted on December 5, 2016

I don’t know about you, but mornings can be the most stressful part of my day. Between a husband scrambling to leave for work, a toddler who is up with the sun, and a first grade boy who struggles to stay on task, I have my work cut out for me. I’ve learned some tricks to make it all just a little easier on myself and I want to share them with you.

1 | Allow plenty of time.

This is probably where I fail the most. In my mind, an hour is plenty of time to get everything done before it’s time to leave for school. That’s all I would need to get ready. They are not adults. They are not fast. They are not efficient. REMEMBER THIS. Think about how much time you would need and add 30 minutes. This will save you lots of yelling and missed bus excursions.

2 | Hand over some responsibility.

Work smarter, not harder, parents! Get that kid his own alarm clock. Let him learn to get up when his own alarm goes off. I recommend putting it across the room so that they have to get up and walk to it. It’s a small step that takes a few minutes off of your job in the morning.

3 | Nix getting dressed in the morning.

No, I don’t mean send them to school in PJs every day. It’s way more genius than that. Let your kids sleep in their school clothes. Yep. It’s a win-win. I mean, it’s not a great idea if they are wearing a rigid uncomfortable outfit, but for my son, who loves to wear joggers and tees, it’s the best practice. Wake up, roll out of bed, and ready. Now that I think about it, that’s pretty much what I do too… (stop judging me).

4 | Bargain and bribe.

Don’t let them watch TV until their breakfast is eaten and their shoes are on. If your kid is like mine, they are dying to watch TV as soon as they get up. Then, they sit there in a sleepy stupor staring and the screen and moving like a sloth through the rest of their steps. If you withhold the beloved cartoons until the most important parts are done, I guarantee they will speed through the process so that they can chill on the couch with Adventure Time until time to go.

5 | Simplify breakfast.

Listen. As much as I wish I was a mom that got up at 5am and prepared a full breakfast with fresh eggs and pancakes, that’s just not me. I like to sleep as much as I can. My goal is to find breakfast that Grayson likes, can make for himself, and doesn’t take long to prepare. Grayson is also in a phase where he really only wants certain foods in the morning. Thankfully, we found Farm Rich Bakery products. This fall, they rolled out a “bake-shop” type line of premium breakfast and snack goods. Farm Rich is one of the nation’s leading frozen snacks and appetizers brands. They have a large variety of convenient, wholesome, yummy foods that I can feel good about giving my kiddos. The best part? They love them! Make sure to sign up for the Farm Rich Loyalty Club to receive exclusive offers, news, quick recipes, snacking ideas and more.