Hello old friends! Sigh. I know it’s been a while. This mama has made some major, life altering changes in the past few months as I’m sure many of you have done too. Some changes were COVID assisted but all were God led. I can’t wait to share with you all that has happened in such a very short span of time. But for now, I’ll settle to offer you our new magic morning routine that has made the start of our school days run easier than Lionel Richie’s Sunday mornings!
Let me start by sharing that I am a pretty die-hard night owl. I usually catch a second wind around midnight and find all my creative juices come pouring out and I complete my own thoughts, uninterrupted. I plan parties and play dates, write, read, listen to music, go Amazon diving, watch predictable Hallmark movies, eat popcorn, annoy my husband with said popcorn crunching, and oh so much more! But recently, I have had to face the fact that keeping those hours with a toddler and an energetic 8 year old, just isn’t what’s best. Because while fully embracing night owlness, I couldn’t also fully embrace the “early bird getting the worm” mentality too. I read somewhere that the idea that we cannot change is actually idolizing ourselves. It’s putting ourselves equal with God as He is the only unchanging being— the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. So to say I was unable to change what feels natural to me was actually quite arrogant. That truth sort of knocked the glasses off my face. I had to admit that while YOLO’ing it after hours might be my bent— it was not leading me to my best. So my name is Jasmine and I’m a reformed night owl, turned weekday morning person. That was magical (dang near miraculous) change number one.
This matters because being able to wake up, unhurried and able to have time alone with my thoughts, time for prayer and devotion, time for working out— became so life-giving to me that I wish I’d done it sooner! I know that every mama is different and every family has their groove, but taking daily time for you to center and encourage and anchor yourself before showing up in your world is essential for a healthy you in every way. So while I’m sure this part isn’t any new news, I know how easy it is to get caught up in laundry or cleaning the kitchen before bed or Facebook/Insta/TikTok (insert media poison of choice here) surfing only to look up and it’s 1:53 AM, and you haven’t even showered. I’ve been there too many times to count. Going to bed early is hard. Waking up tired and having to manage your home is hard. Choose your hard.
So our magic mornings start with me going to bed by 10:30 every night and getting up an hour and a half earlier than the kids. This affords me enough time to workout on Zoom with my sis, pray, shower and get breakfast started BY MYSELF! I feel like I can conquer the world when I start my day like this. Oh, but mamas, the magic is only beginning.
I wake up my youngest first so I can have undivided, one on one time with my little guy. We drink milk, play quietly in his room, (or not so quietly) shush each other, read 15 second excerpts from 37 different books, snuggle, and whatever else he wants to do with his wake up time. About 45 minutes after he wakes up, we wake up big sis and get ready for breakfast.
Kids love music and usually have their own taste and favorite songs even when they are teeny tiny! So we incorporated music into our mornings, and it changed EVERYTHING. I let my daughter pick 30 minutes worth of songs she likes (plus one I like) and added them to a Spotify playlist. After breakfast, I immediately start the playlist and both kiddos know to start their morning routines. Their morning routines include clearing the kitchen table, making beds and tidying their bedrooms, grooming themselves and getting dressed.
When we first started, I would give a “last song” warning to move them along WITHOUT fussing or having to stop what I was doing to have to ensure they were on task. But now they know the playlist well, and hurry along to complete their morning chores by the time the playlist is over. This has eliminated so much frustration for me and gives me time to complete my morning chores as well! Make sure to set the standard by walking through what tasks you will expect them to complete during the morning routine. Be it getting dress, making their own lunch, washing breakfast dishes… whatever it is, make sure you make the expectation clear and ensure they have everything they need to complete the tasks required. This step can be tedious up front but I promise, it’s so worth it in the long run! I literally sat in my daughter’s room and established what a “clean room” meant to me while instructing her so we both understood what was expected. That small investment of time as paid exponential dividends!
We always start the morning with “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. This oldie but goodie was a song my grandma whistled to me when I was little, and it still brings me joy every single time I hear it. So I thought this would be a great little happy song to pass on to my littles.
Even the two year old knows when he hears that first song, breakfast is over and its time to get going. Sometimes he may do more dancing than chores, but he knows how to clear his space at the table and he helps big sister make her bed (giggle). Giving your kids the gift of fun structure is one of the best gifts you can give YOURSELF! So, many a morning you will find us dancing around the kitchen island— a mama bear who is ready and energized spiritually, mentally and physically for the long day ahead and two little cubs playfully yet helpfully starting their day with fun and joy. It’s not perfect every time. And sometimes I find there was more dancing than readying and reminders have to be issued. But that is much less often than it working as planned.
So go and be great mamas!!! Here’s our full playlist for this term. We will switch it up at some point to keep it fresh! Also, you could have a nighttime playlist as well to help them walk through a bedtime routine. I hope this helps you have magical mornings and great days!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1pxnfVvvCQyw5u8HzPg7Fp?si=FZsww8bwR1SXIzWqkaf0FQ Enjoy!
