Oh those last few minutes before the kids come home from school-- they feel so short! Especially today when I spent all of my time-- EVEN NAP TIME --answering first-week-of-class emails, grading for the overload class I am teaching, and trying to rescue the house from its Thursday House-ness (on a Friday).
I am determined to settle into this semester THIS FREAKING MONTH (which I understand is almost over) because usually it takes me months to fall into new rhythms, and I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THAT nonsense.
I am struggling a little bit with mornings because I cannot use morning nap for chores. I need to use that time as productively as humanly possible. SO that means I need to have the house tidied and myself dressed, etc BEFORE she goes down. This, in turn, means I need to get up early and make sure my workout at least is crossed off my list. I did that every morning but this one (Minnie woke up TWICE last night, and I cannot even), meaning I had to exercise during morning nap and then everything felt rushed.
Add in a library run, 2 kids to pick up, a pharmacy run, a Target pick up, dinner to order from 2 different places, and also hockey and tennis tonight, and GAH. And this is a LIGHT DAY when Ben is also working from home and we can help each other out LOL LOL LOL LOL.
First day of school LEWK
She loves trying on my glasses
Tiny pig-tailed artist
No, she's not watching TV. Why would you even think that?
I just think she's so cute when she eats.
A problem I have is thinking that every weekday has to look like all of the weekdays that will follow. So if someone wants to lighten my load on a Monday, for example, my first instinct is to refuse because I won't have help every Monday. This is dumb, and I get that, but it's also a hard habit to change. I am trying to set goals for each day and then meet them the most efficient way possible for that given day and the given set of circumstances I am facing, if that makes any sense. I have a few things that I always need to do every single day, but I am trying to be flexible outside those things. Just because Ben can drive Harry on this Thursday, for example doesn't mean I have to plan every single Thursday with ben driving Harry and me doing the evening pick ups solo. This seems like a no-brainer, but it has been a really hard thing for me to learn.
Any genius tips for getting all your stuff done every day? For getting your mornings done in a calm, efficient, and loving way? Once I am in the car with Minnie and Jack to grab coffee, drop Jack off, and head home to work and nap Minnie, my days are bright AF. But getting the other 3 kids out the door and everyone sorted out for breakfast, their rooms mucked out, etc, is a stressful slog. I am open to any suggestions/would love to hear your morning rhythms.
My usual advice is to lower standards. First, is there a quick breakfast that they will all eat every day that you can implement? Protein bars? Protein shakes? Slightly less than idea nutrition / cold breakfast will not harm anyone for a season. Rooms mucked out? Consider seriously whether that should even be on the morning list. Can rooms stay messy for a week and be addressed on the weekend? Finally, insist on as much night before prep as possible. All kids bags packed. All clothes picked out. And once your kids are 8, all of that should be done by them, not you. If they forget something? That’s a great way to learn not to forget something. ::hugs:;
ReplyDeleteFor the first time in maybe forever, I have a morning routine that I feel like sets the tone nicely for the rest of the day. I shower at night, so my morning routine is much simpler. Dressed, light make-up, brush out the hair. I wake the kids right before, so I'm usually downstairs and ready to go about 15-20 minutes before the rest of the crew. That gives me a chance to make coffee (it's already brewed on a timer), pack my lunch, and do a quick pick-up/dish rotation. It also allows me to get out of the way while Eli, Sydney, and C are getting their stuff together in the kitchen. The kids have the choice of grabbing breakfast at home (protein shakes, PB&J, etc.) or eating breakfast at school (Averson chooses this more days than not). Once they're gone I might throw a load of laundry in before A and I leave, or I might read or play Wordle. It's slow and I definitely COULD fit more chores in, but I don't want to. Where I'm at right now allows me to start my day calm and send my kids out of the house with a smile on my face. I know you've gotten the feedback before that you have a high level of expectation for your productivity. I agree with Mommy Attorney. I might suggest first looking at your current list and deciding which are "musts" versus which are "would be nices" I did an activity the other day where you close your eyes and try to determine when a minute has passed. The point was that we often have an unrealistic perception of time, so that when we're planning we don't accurately budget. What you're describing seems like a lot to get done before school.
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