Confessions of a Non-Morning Parent
It doesn’t matter if I wake up at 4am or 7am—either way, my kids are going to wake up with me. Somehow they have this 6th sense that I’m up and about in the mornings and they don’t want to miss out. So I stopped waking up early. Instead of trying to beat their clock and deprive myself of sleep, I focus my efforts on learning how to do life WITH my kids.
Three things I do every morning to fill my cup & theirs:
Greet the day with gratitude
As soon as I open my eyes, I stay laying in my bed for a few extra minutes and I think up a few things I’m grateful for in this new day. It’s a simple practice that helps me approach the day with a joyful heart. If my kids are actively trying to get me out of bed and started with the day, I pull them into my arms and we practice this gratitude greeting together. “What are three things you are grateful for today?”
Eat a good meal
Breakfast was one of those meals I would skip as a new mom, because it felt like too much work to take care of myself and my kids. This would then turn into me eating the kids leftovers for lunch and snacking on random finds throughout the day. It wasn’t until the beginning of 2025 that I decided to prioritize my nutrition & I noticed a change in my mood immediately. I have found a way to take care of my meals and the kids meals without carving too much into our morning time. Three ways I do this: I teach the kids how to serve breakfast themselves, I had a conversation with my husband about how mornings felt so hard lately and he offered to cook breakfast on certain days, and lastly, I premade simple meals like chia pudding & oats. By nourishing our bodies in the morning, I find more energy to go about the day.
3. Create before consuming
Another lesson I’m learning in 2025 is to start the day with creativity rather than consumption. This goes beyond scrolling on my phone in the mornings to no longer reading or listening to podcasts in the morning either. While my children get creative with their Morning Basket activities, I use that time to develop my creativity— some days it writing, other days its painting or crafting with my kids. This time/space allows me to activate my mind and ideas and put them into action.
What habit do you love to do in the morning?
