Is quality time in the morning a realistic expectation?

JoAnna914 · November 2011

Hi ladies! This post is inspired by the post asking about bed times and quality time. We're expecting our first child in a week or so, and we've already lined up daycare and have divided the drop-off/pick-up duties. Since I don't have to be into the office until 10am, I can catch a fairly late commuter train (8:30 - 8:45), so I will be the drop-off person. DH has flexible afternoon hours, so he can pick up as early as 5pm if he works from home. We're very lucky.

My question is this - do any of you happen to have decent quality time with your LOs in the morning before daycare drop off? I'm a morning person. I'm up at the crack of dawn, not because I have to be, but because I like it. Assuming my LO is sleeping well, is it realistic to expect a little QT with him/her before we get the day going? Just playing or a quiet nursing session even? I really hope so, because my evenings are unpredictable due to my job. It would be nice to have that with my LO. Thanks for any thoughts you may have!

TheNewMrsCfont · November 2011

We sit down and eat breakfast together which I count as quality time, but my DS is 2 yo. I would think it would vary by what stage they are in.

madhatter2003 · November 2011

EllaHella:
DS is very cuddly when he first wakes up. We sit on the couch together while he wakes up and drinks his cup of milk. Once they are mobile, that snuggle time is precious.

ditto this. I actually have always had great quality time with my kids in the morning. They are generally happier than right before bed, more 'snuggly', and breakfast foods are faster to make than dinner foods Stick out tongue

aglenn · November 2011

I agree with EllaHella and madhatter. Plus, my DD gets up reeeally early, so we have plenty of time together in the mornings. Yawn.

expectingnothing · November 2011

If you can get up and get out of the house on time I don't see why not. For us it's never feasible - I'm a single mom and getting all three of us out of the house, to daycare, and me to work by 8 is the biggest feat of every day. Plus mine both like to sleep until almost 7. My older one opted to keep sleeping in this morning when I showered and the younger one watched Sesame Street.

emberlee3 · November 2011

With my early-bird, we get a whole lotta QT in before 8 a.m., 7 days a week

. He gets up at 5:45 or 6, and we can eat breakfast, play play-doh, build a train station, read books, and put on a dog show before most sane people have gotten out of bed.

JoAnna914 · November 2011

emberlee3:
With my early-bird, we get a whole lotta QT in before 8 a.m., 7 days a week . He gets up at 5:45 or 6, and we can eat breakfast, play play-doh, build a train station, read books, and put on a dog show before most sane people have gotten out of bed.

OMG, this would be my dream schedule, lol. I was an early bird as a baby (that's where it all started, lol), and I hope that my LO inherits that trait from me!

Mrs.Handy · November 2011

DS gets up anywhere from 6am-7am (most times around 6). I'm out the door between 7:20-30am.

We have some nice cuddling and nursing in the morning when he first gets up. Breakfast is a little hectic so we entertain him with a little snack, while I eat my breakfast. He eats his breakfast at daycare. Usually we head to the play room around 7-7:20am while my H takes a shower. We play, nurse.

There isn't substantial quality time, but we get a little bit. DH gets more since he does the drop-off.

It will really depend on your LO's sleeping schedule, which you will adjust to.

Mjmksb04 · November 2011

For a baby who wakes up early, maybe. But for an older infant or toddler who needs his or her sleep in the morning, no.

trackchik6 · November 2011

Sometimes I get 2 hours of QT in with DS before going to work.

ITGurl0626 · November 2011

I get about 40 minutes of QT with my LO in the morning. We get some snuggling time while feeding & then we play a little while I'm dressing her. I cherish it...

EllaSmella · November 2011

Yes, it's possible, but it depends on whether your LO is an early riser or not. My LO gets up most days at 6am, and we don't need to leave the house until 8:30. We get a lot of playtime/quality time in before we both need to get dressed around 8am.

However, in the short run, you may be tired/sleep deprived enough that you don't like getting up early anymore, so be prepared for it to take a while for you both to get in the grove after you go back to work.

VESmith25 · November 2011

With our son he is very happy in the morning and wakes btw 6 and 7. We also share drop off/pick up so my husband gets to spend some time with our little guy in the morning which is good since he works later due to doing the drop off.

anglynn1124 · November 2011

Quality time in the morning's doesnt work for me. My DH leaves very early in the am's so its just me with DD. I have to leave at 6:50 to get her to daycare and me to work by 8. I have a long commute so I get myself up at 5:20 and get ready , then get DD up at 6:40, we are out the door 10 mins later and she eats breakfast at daycare. I feel bad rushing her but she needs to sleep, I dont want to wake her earlier and this allows me to get myself to work on time. Thankfully I have over 2 hours with her each night before she goes to bed to have quality time and all weekend long. When she was an infant and up at all different times we would get more bonding time with bottle feedings and what not. So once your child is older, they nap less during the day and need as much sleep as they can get so I wouldnt wake them up just to have quality time because their sleep is more important.

doxgirl · November 2011

DS is an earlier riser, so we get to spend some good time together in the mornings. He's a little more snuggly in the mornings, so it's a good time for us to read books. He usually wants to go, go, go in the evenings.

WinesNotWhines · November 2011

Definitely possible. It usually doesn't happen that way in my house, but we leave at 7:15 am, so we're much more rushed. You can definitely cuddle, nurse, play, etc. first thing in the morning. My kiddo is usually pretty happy early in the morning.

KL777 · November 2011

My DS is almost 4 but we do have some quality time in the morning---it's not a whole lot of time though...probably 6:30-7:30 am and during a portion of that time I'm getting dressed and prepping my hair. I do go in the living room with him often and dance with him to one of his favorite DVD songs.

gy86 · December 2011

My daughter is always super happy, smiley, and "talkative" right when she wakes up. I have somewhat of a flexible schedule at my job, so usually I'm able to play with the baby a little, read a story, or have "conversations" before we leave for daycare.

A lot of the time though she'll fall right back to sleep after nursing at 4 or 5 am, and I'll just get up and start my shower/morning routine then because it's a lot easier and faster that way. It's not uncommon for me to have to wake her to dress her for daycare and head out the door.

chillyupnorth · December 2011

DD is super smiley when she first wakes up, so we get in about 5 minutes of smiling and laughing. I'm willing to show up at 8 on the nose if it means I get an extra minute of giggling with my girl in the morning.

Is quality time in the morning a realistic expectation?

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