Do you have one? If so, do you stick to it? Have you been living reactively vs. proactively? We were in the former category before we created a routine. I knew we all had to wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast (DRINK COFFEE), brush our teeth, and gear up to leave, however we had yet to sit down and truly create a routine. Some mornings we would literally have two hours (my kids wake up early!) to prepare for the day and yet would STILL leave the house with one minute to spare… if that ;/
The challenge is having kids at different stages that are CONSTANTLY evolving. As they grow older we count on them to be more independent, but this can also mean it takes longer to get out the door. My family and I have started having family “meetings” on Sunday nights to discuss what’s working, what’s not… and decided it was time to iron out this part of our day. My daughter suggested we create a list of the things that need to be done every morning before we leave for school. (Sheesh. Why do I have such a blindspot for the obvious? I knew this.) Alas, we set it out during breakfast as a (gentle, and hopefully more peaceful than me repeating myself over and over) reminder each morning. The kids really respond to having a visual to keep them on task. For the pre-readers images work well, so I hear.
Take a look at your day and really examine its pace. Sometimes it’s easier just to go along with the status quo because it doesn’t feel like there’s sufficient time to truly problem solve. Rather than approach this in a perfectionistic, there’s only one way approach – just begin. Identify the bumps in your day (at least the predictable ones) and begin to identify new ways to navigate them. Release some of the control and invite your family to help you create new solutions in the interest of a more peaceful home. When given the chance my kids can bring it! I bet yours will too. There’s nothing like a new perspective. Here’s to problem solving, working together and remembering to be more “loveabal”💕 at the breakfast table.
Minimalist-ish 