COVID has made me lazy..
Alright, confession time.. COVID has made me lazy (*ahem* appreciate time and rest and encourage my boys’ independence - there, that's better!). Our alarms used to go off around 5:30 every morning. After slapping the snooze button multiple times, we would drag ourselves out of the bed and begin the hurried process of getting ready to go to work and school. It was all a part of the daily grind and most times we didn’t think anything of it until… the world stopped.
Buttercup is Hubby's good for nothing co-worker. This desk really helped us separate everyone's working spaces. It folds, so this room easily turns back into the guestroom.
Hubby began working from home, and I didn’t have to get RX to the bus stop. Over time, the alarm time kept being pushed back and eventually turned off. RX and DL are alarm clocks in human form - never really needed real alarms *insert eye roll*. Getting out of bed around 8am has become the new normal and it is GLORIOUS! However, by this time Buttercup and the boys have barreled into the room demanding breakfast and to begin the day’s activities.
Had to do something about that!
It was time to empower my boys with their morning routines. I no longer had to (or wanted to) referee the morning responsibilities because we weren’t in a hurry to go anywhere. I made a morning checklist and hung it up in the bathroom. Both boys are very visual and they thrive on lists like their mama. They now complete their hygiene routine, get dressed, eat their breakfast, and do their chores all before Hubby and I even roll over. For someone who has to be in control of EVERYTHING (I’m learning to let go), this is major, and I’m enjoying every second of it.
Now, what happens when the world opens back up and we have to turn on those dreaded alarms again? I’m hoping the independence carries over to the morning rush. I’m even more hopeful that ‘the rush’ becomes a thing of the past. We could all do without the hurried madness. I want to give the boys a better starting point for the day. I want to start them off with positivity vs. yelling at them because they don’t know where their shoes are. I’m stating the obvious, I know, but in the moment, it is not easy.
I'm a planner…
Something that helps me practice mindfulness is being prepared. Be as prepared as you can be in any given situation, because let’s face it, nothing ever goes as planned. Making sure their shoes are in their cubby in the laundry room, having several kid-friendly breakfast options, and clean laundry in their drawers (better yet, outfits picked out the night before) sure go a long way in ensuring mornings are easygoing. I hate to be late for anything, but rushing is stressful. Giving myself time allows me to love on my boys in the morning. I saw a meme once that said, 'How do you expect your child to have a good day if you yell at them from the moment they wake up?' It made so much sense.
So with all that said, check back with me back in August when they actually set foot back in a school (also pray that we get this virus under control so they can go back before then). I’m raising self-sufficient little kings and it is not for the faint of heart! Tell me about your morning routines… How do you keep the peace in the mornings? I’d love to implement your ideas!
XOXO,
