This post has been sponsored by Cheerios – all opinions are my own.
If you’ve been parenting for more than 24 hours, you know that mornings with kids are no joke. Half the kids oversleep, the other half wake up entirely too early and somehow getting out the door at a reasonable hour becomes about as likely as winning the jackpot lottery.
So what’s a mom to do? Turn to Pinterest right? But sometimes when you turn to Pinterest it seems like all these blogger moms seem to be dwelling in a different universe.
Because somehow, the solution to all the morning chaos is supposed to be a checklist.
See I don’t know how things happen at your house, but my kids can’t even keep track of their shoes that they wear every single day. Meaning the chances of them keeping track of a piece of paper that monitors tasks they don’t even want to do is exactly zero percent.
So what’s a chaotic family with rambunctious kids to do in the mornings?
The first step is honestly not my favorite, but it is essential, so I’m going with it…
Wake up earlier
However you can make this happen, go for it. No one loves sleep more than I do, but truly waking up a good 15 minutes earlier than you technically need to will drastically reduce the amount of rushing and shouting and chaos that happens in the middle of the morning.
Have clear expectations
We don’t have checklists at our house, but we do have clear expectations to be followed. No screen time until you’re ready to walk out the door, being one of the most important. The kiddos want those precious morning minutes of playing games on the computer, so they get ready. Fast.
Have breakfast they can prepare themselves
I am a firm believer in passing off to kiddos all the tasks that they can handle. It’s empowering to them and also does a lot to prepare them for life.
This means they have milk and cereal every single day for breakfast and they love it! This month, they’re majorly enjoying the BRAND NEW Maple Cheerios! You can grab it at WalMart and your whole family is sure to love it! It’s the perfect Fall breakfast, and it’s one kids can handle preparing for themselves, so each family member can grab their own food first thing in the morning.
Save time for giggles
One of the absolute best things about waking up a little earlier and giving the kids the responsibility to get themselves ready for school, is how much time it saves for connecting in the mornings.
Don’t get me wrong we have our CRAZY CHAOS-FILLED mornings too, but every so often the star align and I look over and see the kids chatting about their school day and telling each other jokes and it’s the most perfect magical way to start the day. Watching siblings talking and laughing together is the best part of any day!
Seeing it happen over a bowl of Maple Cheerios (or my fave the new Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios), as they get themselves ready for school in the morning is just a little reminder of how big they are getting and how proud I am to get to be their mom.
For days when it doesn’t work
Real talk, no two days are every exactly the same and some mornings are still a struggle but on those days, remember you have precious minutes in the car or on the walk to school to make things right. Tell a ridiculous joke, ask them a crazy question that will get an eye roll or a belly laugh (depending on just how old your kiddos are). Find that moment to connect before they’re off for another day of learning.
Don’t forget!
After you plan out your kid-empowering, list-free morning routine, don’t forget to run by Walmart (or use their super-handy grocery pick up service) to get your own box of the amazing Maple Cheerios. You’ll want to get the Family Size TRUST ME. They’re so good.
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