Surviving mornings in one piece

Let's face it mornings are crazy. Trying to get yourself and the kids out the door is stressful and chaotic. I have compiled a list of tips that make my life easier and help to keep sanity in our house.


1. Get up with the alarm. This may be a no brainer but is a tough one for me. I actually set two alarms about ten minutes apart. The second alarm is on my phone across the room. I set it to a crazy loud ringer so that I bolt out of bed. Yeah, I struggle. If anyone wants to volunteer to be a wake up service let me know.

2. This goes hand and hand with number one. Got to bed at a decent hours. Most of us need at least a good seven to eight hours of sleep. So unplug early, relax, unwind and get your butt into bed at a decent hour.

Reading a nice book before bed

3. Plan your outfits ahead of time. Lay out your clothes the night before so you dont waste time in the morning digging through your closets and piles of clothes in the laundry basket you keep meaing to put away (or is that just me). This is especially helpful when living with a diva that is very particular on what she wears. Let her pick out what she likes the night before so there is no fighting in the morning.



Diva in the making

4. I make sure to pack lunches and snacks the night before as well. Have everything packed in your lunch box in the fridge or lined up on the counter the night before. Have bowls and cereal out ready to go for breakfast.The girls each have a backpack they take to and from school everyday. You get the idea...

5. Get yourself and the kids showered and bathed at night. One less thing to do in the morning. If you are like me and have to blow dry and straighten a huge mane of hair its best to do it at night. The kids generally need a bath every night in the summer anyways to wash the sunscreen and clean their hair. (Every other night works just fine for us in the fall/winter months.)

Still young enough to like bathing

6. Last and not least relax. Things don't always go as planned things happen. Your daughter will dump a whole box of cereal on the floor, you will realize it is your turn to bring in snacks for class, your child will throw herself on the floor screaming because she can't have macaroni and cheese for breakfast or you are like me and snooze past the alarm clock ten times. Unpredictable things will come up but just do your best to move along.

It's all good Ma

It is not easy for most of us in the morning but with a solid routine in place life can be a whole lot happier. Now if I could just get up regularly in the morning to get my workouts done that would be a huge bonus.


What routines do you have in place to get your family out the door in the morning? Are a morming exerciser? How the heck do you do it? Tips are most welcomed.