Morning Routines

There are several times that are quiet around here. Morning is not one of them.

(Click to play video…be sure to watch to the end for hilarious out-takes from Mr. C and Miss G!)

BLISS TV Morning Routines from Blissful Media Group on Vimeo.

If I get up early enough, say around 5:30 or so, I can get a good :30 minutes of quiet time in to check my news, read some email and have a blessedly quiet cup of coffee before chaos takes over the minute the children are fully awake and running amock in the house. The activity can easily be broken down into three rounds….

Round 1: Good Morning Sunshine!

My son gets up easily enough. He usually requires a hug before sitting down to breakfast and patiently awaits the attack that is no doubt coming from his little sister who does not share his cheery disposition in the morning. The “argument du jour” will generally start within 10 minutes of her arrival at the breakfast table and will only end after they have fully driven both their father and myself crazy. Oh, and no one will eat the same thing which means my husband and I are running around playing short order cook to two very ungrateful customers who don’t even leave a tip, just a few dishes behind, to thank us.

Round 2: Lights, Camera, Action!

By now it’s off to get dressed which presents another set of unique problems. Mr. C has hair that truly has a life of its own. Overnight, it somehow arranges itself into a style that requires industrial strength product to hold down and even then he sometimes still leaves the house looking like he has a horn sticking out of his head. Also, he is slightly color blind. If you were ever wondering how many times one child can put together a brown on brown outfit in one week, the answer is slightly over one million.

Miss G on the other hand is quite the fashionista. She can mix and match like nobody’s business. Sadly, the weather plays a big part in our mornings here because if it is freezing cold, she prefers t-shirts with spaghetti straps and shorts. However, if it is hot, nothing is going to make her feel fancier than that wool coat with the faux fur trim at the neck and wrists.

Round 3: Let’s Get This Show On The Road!

Usually at this point we are a few minutes to egress. The countdown has started to bus arrival time and The Man gives minute by minute updates on exactly how long the children have to get out the door. Right about now, two things usually happen. First, socks are lost. Sure they were in the drawer last night but now the only socks that are there are the ones that are “yucky and don’t fit right” that surely we cannot expect them to place their precious toes in. Those kids you see at school with the shoes but no socks? Yeah, one of those is usually mine.

Next up, someone will remember they had homework that didn’t get done or a form that needed to be signed and returned. The realization that they have no idea where these items are will set in a few seconds later and a search team will be deployed to find the missing papers, which have been found in locations and exotic as the fish tank and once, the freezer.

Eventually we do get them out the door and onto a day of higher education and we collapse by the door after they leave, covered in spilled coffee and chocolate milk with nothing but each other to keep us vertical. Mission accomplished!

As part of my “simplify life” motto for the year, I’m looking for ways to ease this process but I haven’t gotten there yet. Tell me about your morning routine…surely I’m not alone here. And if you are actually are that perfectly organized June Cleaver type I strive to be, let me know how you do it…any and all tips to make this routine easier are much appreciated!

This article about making mornings easier is part of the Kraft Bagel-fuls “Break up with your Breakfast Routine” sweepstakes. Visit BlissfullyDomestic.com for all the fabulous details.