Morning routines

rapaulson · March 2014

I'm curious how your morning routines go. I currently have a really good thing going, and it's about to change so I'm nervous. My LO is almost 2. I get up and shower at 6am, then when LO wakes up (between 6:30-7) we hang out until our nanny or my parents come at 7:50. (They alternate days). I eat breakfast in that time and sometimes feed LO but he's not always hungry yet. Then, once the help arrives, I get myself ready from 7:50-8:10 and drive to work to arrive around 8:30. (DH gets up at 6:30 and just gets himself ready & walks the dog and leaves at 7:30 - but he does after work care on his own for an hour or so, so it all averages out).

We're starting LO in a home daycare fulltime in May with more limited hours, so I'm switching my work hours to 7:45am - 4:30pm. That means I'll have to get up and get him and I ready and get out the door by about 7:15. No more "me time" once the help arrives! And less time to just hang with LO in the morning, but more time at night probably. We'll have to play around with a whole new routine so that everyone is able to get out the door. So I'm sad. And I'm curious - how do your mornings go with LOs? (this routine thing will all change yet again I'm sure when i have my October baby...egads).

ccam · March 2014

Can your LO eat breakfast at DC? That way you just have to get him up, dressed and ready to go. We do this with DS since he gets to DC by 6:30am.

I have to be at work by 7am and have a 45 minute commute. My alarm goes off at 5am and I get myself completely ready before DS gets up for the day at 6. DH is also a big help in the morning. We work together to get everyone out the door by 6:15. DH will get DS dressed while I'm packing up all of our lunches, making coffee, etc.

cecilyandgautam · March 2014

Will your husband be around in the morning before you & LO take off? I do drop offs & pick ups but DH gets the toddler ready in the morning, then gets himself ready once we're out the door.

If not, I've been doing the morning routine alone for the past few weeks while DH is on travel. Here's what I've discovered - my two year old can actually put on her underwear and pants correctly at least 25% of the time so it's worth asking her to try while I finish up my make up. She also can do her socks and shoes correctly about half the time so that's also worth asking her to give a try while I pack up the bags for the day. On days she succeeds in these little self-care tasks, it's a time saver. On days she doesn't, it keeps her occupied and it's good practice. I get up 20-40 minutes before getting her up so I can shower and get my make up started. Once we're both dressed, we eat some cereal together then head out. I give DD as many little helper tasks as I can.

sugarbear0524 · March 2014

I have to admit that I have a good situation. I get up about 6:45 and DH and I get ready. We get DS up at 7:15 or so and get him ready. If he wakes up earlier, he sits on our bed and watches Thomas the Train. DH leaves at 7:30 and DS and I leave shortly after. It's a 5 minute drive to his preschool.

After I take him to school, I go back home and have breakfast and, usually, do a chore or two. I leave for work (next door to the preschool) about 8:40 or so. I love that time in the morning!

OP, if I were you, I would involve your DH as much as possible.

jf198400 · March 2014

I do the morning routine by myself with 2 kids everyday. The hardest part for me is waking them up, sounds like he's already waking up early enough for you. My tips- get yourself completely ready before he wakes up, including bags packed and in the car, pick out clothes night before, make lunches night before, pack breakfast to eat at daycare, and give yourself about 10mins for actual drop off.

Sept07b2b · March 2014

I think the key is to try to get yourself as ready as possible before getting your LO up. We get up around 6:30. I shower, get dressed, make-up, etc. and then we get the kids up around 7. My DH helps me get them dressed, and then we head downstairs for breakfast. I get them both their breakfast, and while they eat, I usually finish packing up their bags, get my DD's sock and shoes on, get my own shoes on etc., and we're out the door by 7:30. My DH takes my DS to school, and I take my DD to daycare.

mae0111 · March 2014

On the days when I have to get everyone out the door, it goes something like this... I get up at 5:30 for a quick workout. In the shower by 6. If DD2 wakes up around the time I get out of the shower, I get her dressed and bring her into my room with me to play until I'm ready. For a while, this meant that I would do everything (shower, hair, make-up, etc.) except get dressed. I'd save that for last because she spit up a TON as an infant.

I wake DD1 up at 6:40 or 6:45. She can get dressed herself, but I used to help her get dressed quickly after she brushed teeth, etc. We're usually eating breakfast by about 7:00. I fix hair, help get shoes and coats on, and we're out the door by 7:35-7:40.

I always have everything packed up the night before - lunches, bags, etc. I recently started showering at night when I need to wash my hair, then just flat ironing in the morning. I used to rely on pony tails a lot, but after I had DD2, a ton of my hair fell out, and it's growing back in all kinds of weird ways which make ponytails impossible now.

It takes a little getting used to, but we're in a pretty good rhythm now. Good luck!

ETA: I forgot to mention that DH is out of the house by 5am most days, never later than 6.

jlaOK · March 2014

Our morning routine is:

6:00-6:10 - DH gets up and showers
6:10-6:30 - I shower and DH gets the kids up
6:30-6:45/7:00 - DH and I get the kids dressed together and get them eating (just a bottle for DD), and back bottles and DD's food for daycare
6:45/7:00 - DH leaves
7:00-7:30 - DS watch Disney Jr. and DD plays while I finish getting ready, brush DS's teeth, pack up and leave

Our bedroom is right by our living room so I'm fortunate that as long as I shower before the kids are up I can get ready while also taking care of their morning stuff.

Soon2BMrsN · March 2014

5:00 my alarm goes off...which inevitably wakes YDS up
5:00-5:30 I shower and get ready for work; YDS and DH doze/cuddle in our bed
5:30-6:00 I head downstairs to drink coffee, eat, and finish packing breakfasts (for the kids) and lunches (for the adults)...sometimes DH and/or YDS join me
6:10 I get YDS dressed while DH gets ODS up and ready
6:25 I throw the last stuff in our bags, load the car, the boys and I get our coats/shoes on and leave
6:35 I drop the boys off at school and then head to work

Our mornings are usually pretty smooth. I dread getting three kids out the door, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

SantoriniSteph · March 2014

My morning routine starts the night before.

At night:
-pack his lunch
-pack my lunch
-make my eggs for tomorrow
-shower
-lay out both our outfits
-pack his backpack

In the morning, my husband leaves at 4am and leaves some coffee for me. DS is not a good sleeper and will normally wake up early. He isn't a breakfast person but will have a protein shake in our bed while watching tv. I use this time to get dressed, hair and makeup. Then I get him dressed, teeth brushed, and we are out the door. I heat up my eggs at work and eat breakfast at my desk. My morning routine doesn't take too long because I do as much as I can at night.

rapaulson · March 2014

Lots of good techniques in there, thanks all! I can do this! I love how many people use tv. Glorious glorious tv.

shannm · March 2014

When I have both kids by myself: I wake at 5:50. Shower and dress. Go and get breakfast ready. Kids wake up. DS dresses himself. I dress DD. They eat breakfast and watch sesame street while I eat and dry my hair. Out the door by 7:15-7:30.

djm31012 · March 2014

I want your hours! I am out the door by 6am so mornings are all on DH but he wakes up at 6..showers and gets ready..DS wakes up btwn 630 and 7...he gives him a bottle, dresses him and they are out the door btwn 715 and 730. I prep everything for them the night before (make lunch, lay out the babys outfit, etc). their quality time is the 10 minutes during bottle/bubble guppy time.

emberlee3 · March 2014

I shower at night. I get up at 5;15 or 5:30, get dressed, put on makeup, empty dishwasher. Kids get up at 6:00. We eat together from 6-6:25. Then they get dressed, brush teeth, etc and we are out the door at 6:45.

skibunny59 · March 2014

7:15 is the time I have to be out the door with a 2 year old. It's not easy and most days I am running like 5 minutes late.

DH leaves for work at 4:45AM so it's just me getting myself ready and DD. DD is an early riser and is usually up between 5:30 and 6 so I don't get anytime to myself. I pack my lunch and DD's bag at night and shower at night. In the morning usually plop whatever decent clothes I grab out of my closet. No time for makeup and as far as my hair, I usually just ponytail it most days. I let the dog out to pee (poor pup doesn't get a morning walk anymore :-( ), dress DD and we are out the door. DD usually eats breakfast at my mom's house so that helps a ton. And if we are really running late, I usually just change DD's diaper but I'll leave her in her pjs and my mom will dress her when I drop her off.

I'm supposed to be at work at 8:00 and most days it's a stretch. I usually don't make it in by 8:05. The plus side is I get to leave at 2:30 which is awesome but damn getting out the door so freakin' early with a little one really sucks.

Morning routines

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