Can I tell you the truth? This is how our weekday mornings look...
One of the children wakes up, and wakes us up, between 6 am and 7:30. Its like they trade off early duty. Once in a while they both sleep until 7:30 but most mornings someone wakes us up before then. No alarm necessary in this house.
One parent (we trade off mornings) stumbles out of bed and settles the child on the couch. That child asks for a snack and a show. The parent is too tired to resist and their brain isn't working yet (coffee? Tea?) so that is what happens.
The youngest child has a complete breakdown if milk is not in a bottle (she is 2 and too old for this) and if snack isn't pretzels and goldfish crackers in a bowl (that she usually doesn't even eat). When we have tried other things in the past she turns into "rubber baby, my body has no bones" toddler melting onto the floor with tears and tantrum that wakes up the whole house.
The show is turned on, the kid zones out and the parent dozes off on the couch or starts coffee or just stares at the wall trying to wake up.
By 7:30 both parents are up and showering and we try to then get the kids to eat something more reasonable, get dressed and out the door. Sometimes we eat eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, yogurt, muffins, fruit...who knows. Lately we have been making some tasty green smoothies that three out of the 4 of us will drink (better than nothing!).
The part I hate is the crappy snacks and TV right away. Thats the part that I just don't think helps us out in the long run. Non nutritious food and zoning to the cartoons (even if it is PBS) means when it is time to get ready to go there is whining and resistance. Also the couch really needs a break from all the eating that is happening on it. Thank goodness I can wash the covers.
So I am going to start an experiment.
The Breakfast Schedule and Morning Rhythm
Influenced by the Simplicity Parenting book
Here is the list I wrote up.
Hopefully this will take the brain work off the parent and make that part easier. Plus these kids loooooove predictability and routine. It might be a little rough at first but usually if we explain to them simply what is going to happen and let them in on the experiment then it helps. There may be some epic morning meltdowns but we tend to have those anyways and getting some decent food in them should help. But they will have to wait longer for their solid food and we are going to hold off on TV shows too at least until they have eaten and gotten dressed. Also, food at the table.
Side goals: Get Wesley to dress himself and wean Lily from the instant milk bottle to a cup of milk...
Also Im not sure what to do if one kid wakes up way before the other. Only milk until they are both up and can eat together? Start breakfast for one and just give the other one some when they are up? I also think the days/food choices might change on this list, but after a few weeks we should figure out a variety that works and can repeat it weekly.
I'm kind of scared but also really ready to change our morning rhythm ...wish us luck! Also anyone have any tips for what seems to work for them?
No comments:
Post a Comment