I love back to school season. I love freshly sharpened pencils and the promise of empty sheets of papers. I get a thrill out of filling my son’s backpack with new supplies and imagining all of the things he will do with them. And I absolutely delight in meeting my 70 new 7th graders–all cleaned up and on their best behavior for the first day of school.
But, I really don’t like those back to school mornings.
It always seems to take me several weeks to get back into the routine of waking up early, getting ready, getting my kids ready, praying, and leaving the house by 6:45. There are days when I hit my alarm and think longingly of the lazy days of summer. Sigh.
Now, I do have a Morning Routine that we settle into eventually. And it works beautifully. By the end of September we are able to have peaceful mornings that lead to joyful days.
The basic routine looks something like this:
6:00
Wake up and take medicine
Get Little Brother dressed and in high chair with breakfast
Get Sister dressed and in high chair with breakfast
Big Brother gets himself breakfast
I get dressed, put on make-up, and do my hair while the kids eat
Big Brother takes a shower and gets dressed
6:30
I eat my breakfast while the kids play for a few minutes
Backpacks, coats, and shoes on everyone
6:40
Morning Prayers in the Icon Corner
6:45
Out the door
It’s a great routine. Except for one thing. My kids wake me up each morning.
There is something about waking up to a toddler crying in his crib or a child standing at the side of my bed that jars me and starts the day off on the wrong foot.
I recently started Crystal Paine’s (of Money Saving Mom fame) online course entitled Make Over Your Mornings. And on Day 2 she mentioned that getting up before her children helps her start her day in the right frame of mind.
It was like some kind of light went off in my head. How simple! Get up before my children. Why hadn’t I thought of that? Come on, Sarah.
But then I realized that I had spent the last three and a half years pregnant, nursing, or with an infant in the house. I hadn’t had the luxury of getting up whenever I wanted to because I was just so dang tired all the time! However, now that my children are all sleeping through the night, and now that they all Go To Bed (Ridiculously) Early, I once again have control over my sleeping habits.
This is the One Small Thing that Has Completely Changed My Mornings: I now get up before my children do.
Simple, right? Here’s how I do it:
1. I Prep the Night Before
Before I go to bed, I make sure to do a few things that I know will make my mornings easier. Each evening I aim to:
-pack lunches for my son and myself
-lay out clothes for everyone
-clean the kitchen and do the dishes
-set the table for breakfast
By doing these simple tasks, I relieve stress in the morning.
2. I Go to Bed Early
If I want to get up at 5:30, I have to go to bed earlier. I have learned over the years that my body functions best at a minimum of eight hours of sleep. More is better. Because I have extreme hypothyroidism, I tend to tire easily and need to guard my sleep. So, I’ve now given myself a bedtime of 9:30. That means that I am in bed at 9:30–not starting to go there!
3. I Get Up With a Purpose
When the alarm goes off at 5:30, it is so tempting to stay in bed. That’s why I need a purpose to get me out and going. I try to do two things each morning:
-Pray alone in our icon corner
-Write for 10 minutes
That’s it! But, by starting off my day focusing on two of my priorities, I am able to tackle the rest of the day with renewed energy.
The Best Resource to Help You (with an AMAZING deal!)
Would you like to have stress-free mornings this upcoming school year? Do you want to learn how to create your own evening and morning routines that will help you eliminate the crazy and focus on the productive?
Crystal Paine, of Money Saving Mom, has created two amazing courses that I have used and loved. In fact, pretty much everything I have learned about homemaking routines has come from her!
Crystal’s courses are called Make Over Your Mornings and Make Over Your Evenings, and I do not exaggerate when I say that they will change your life. Because of them, I was able to create a peaceful atmosphere in my house, find time to start a blog, and write two books. Talk about life-changing!
Simply click HERE to find out more about this deal and the courses themselves. You can even see the first lesson for free! There is also a money-back guarantee, so you literally have nothing to lose.
When you do, I’d love to hear about your experience. Let me know what you think!
How about you? What does your morning routine look like? Has anyone else taken Crystal’s Make Over Your Mornings course? What did you think?
(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)
(Linked to Small Victories Sunday, Tips and Tricks, Pintastic Party, Way Back Wednesday.)
I love this post! I took the Make Over Your Mornings course and thought it was fantastic! 🙂 Mornings are so important and there is a lot in scripture about them! Ps. 5:3, right?!
For anyone seeing my comment, click the link below because I’m doing free giveaway of the course on my blog this week!
http://www.kellycoxathome.com/7-ways-to-win-free-money-saving-mom-e-course/
So glad you found it helpful, too! I still have a few days to go, but I am excited to see what else I will find to implement.
Thanks. This was inspiring. I too, need a solid eight hours of sleep, at least or I’m useless.
Do you leave the dryer running when you leave the house? I’m always afraid to do that for fire hazard.
I do leave the dryer running. But, my husband is at home. He works at home most mornings–he’s writing his dissertation right now. You’re right–I wouldn’t want to risk a fire!
I took Crystal’s “Make Over Your Mornings” course. I loved it. It made a big difference. Then I went on vacation, came home sick, was on antibiotics for a week, and had a migraine for two days this week. However, the making a plan the night before has really helped me. I am clear on the things I can do to make breakfast easier. I am not taking care of children. However, I am dealing with chronic pain and neurological issues, so I take a great deal of managing. I might take the course over again to cement the practices in my head again. I want a pattern established before I have hip surgery in October. After that, I have no idea what will happen with physical therapy, etc.
I am so sorry to hear about all of your health concerns, Michelle! I know it is hard for us as women to put ourselves first at times, but you may be in a season of life where you need to do just that. I pray that you you experience peace and relief from your symptoms.
I am taking the course right now.. Yay! Thanks for your recommendation! Looking forward to the rest of it..: )
Glad you’re enjoying it, Ciara!
I just started her course ( day 2) and I’m really excited to see all it has to offer. So far, I’m loving it!
Me, too, Sylvia! I really thought I had the whole morning thing figured out. But, I guess this is a good lesson for me in humility–there’s always more to learn!
I’m so impressed with how quickly you get yourself and three small children ready each morning! That is no small task. However, I have to ask why your husband is not helping you if he’s at home each morning?
Thanks, Sandy! My husband helps out a few mornings a week. On the other mornings he sleeps in, as he stays up later working on his dissertation a few nights each week. I should probably go back and include that in the post, so that I give him the credit that is due!
When I was teaching, I had everything ready the night before. My mom taught that to me when I was in middle school and had a hard time getting up in the mornings. Prepping the night before carried on up until I came home full time. I do prep the coffee maker and lunch box items for my husband when he works the winter storm hours being at work at 3am. Thank you for linking up with Thankful Thursdays.
Wow–3 am! That’s impressive. And I completely agree that the morning routine actually starts the night before. What we do in the evening can greatly help our mornings.
Although I don’t have little ones… I do find waking up before anyone else in the house is a big plus before starting my day….Love my mornings and time spent alone…
Isn’t it nice to have a bit of quiet!
You are one busy bumblebee! I definitely applaud your ability to get through the day!!
Thanks, Jessica!
Hi Sarah! I love freshly sharpened pencils too! But I digress…routines are important but if we don’t have our minds in the right place then we’re still going to be in a funk. I could use a little quite time in the mornings to get my mind right and getting up before the kids would solve that problem. I get up at 5:00. My husband gets up at 4:30 and my kids get up somewhere in between. I just can’t bring myself to get up before 5AM! I go to bed at 9 and I can’t fathom going to bed before that. I’m tired, girl! Thank the Lord for the husband who get the kids fed before I emerge in the morning! I’m just not ready to embrace the 4AM hour for some quiet time yet. Maybe I should put my kids to bed later. Now there’s a thought! Thanks for getting the brain firing this morning!
I’m amazed that your kids get up at 5! Do they have somewhere you need to go? If not, I might recommend giving them a “wake up time” that they are not allowed out of their beds before. My oldest two (ages 6 and 3) know they can’t get out of bed before 6. This helps me out a lot!
Interesting post. I’ve heard of that course before. A lot would have to change in my life before I would be consistently waking up before my children. It’s good to know that it is working out really well for you. 🙂
We all go through different seasons of our life. When my kids were still very little and not sleeping through the night, I definitely could not have gotten up before they did! However, now that we have all settled into good sleep routines, I find it much easier and super helpful.
I love your idea of having a purpose every day! I often get up before my little man, but not faithfully. Some days I just value my sleep too much. =) Your plan for getting a few things done each day during your “me” time sounds like it will work well. For me, I know that if I know what my first item to do when I get up is, I can wake up more easily because I know what I want to get accomplished. It’s a great feeling!
I agree that having a plan makes the whole day go better!
I enjoyed reading your post. I raised 3 kids who are all grown now and having a set routine during the school year makes so much sense. Without a routine, I think I might of gone crazy! Good for you that you figured it out earlier than later. My kids got up super early too… Now that they are older, I can’t seem to wake them up!!! Funny how life works!
Ha! I teach middle schoolers, so I understand about teens who don’t really wake up until noon 🙂
I find I don’t mind waking up early, it’s actually getting out of bed (and off my iPad) that I have trouble with. I’ve also been trying to fit a workout first thing and some days it’s easy, but other days I just want to stay in bed.
I’m impressed that you fit in a workout at all in the morning 🙂
This makes the two of us! My kids wake me up everyday too, except that they are Three and One. lol. I also realized that great morning routines are set up the night before. Thanks for the confirmation.
It can be tough with little ones in the house! The more we get done the night before, the smoother things go in the morning. Best of luck with your kiddos!
Sarah, I love the improvements you are making. I’ve never been much of a morning person, but I’m trying to do better this year. One of my biggest issues right now is working night shift a couple days a week, and then going to college in the morning each week. I’m constantly shifting from sleeping at night and sleeping in the day. One thing that really motivates me in the mornings is getting up with my husband, even if I have to go back to sleep later. And on the days I stay up, I can remember that sweet portion of time with him.
What a great incentive to get up! I am really impressed with you–what a tough schedule you have right now!
As a fellow teacher, I too long for summer. *sigh* I look forward to summer because it allows my body to move to its natural rhythms…which is up until about 3:00 in the morning & heading to bed and getting up around 8:00 or 9:00. With that in mind, in order to get my mornings off to a good start, I have to get my night in order. For me that means I have created a bedtime routine which includes meditation on the writing porch, some sleepytime tea with honey, and putting the screen away to read or crochet for a bit. Then I go to bed, much earlier than the 3:00 or so that I’d like. I also get the coffee ready to go so it’s already done and waiting for me when I get out of the shower.
All of that means that for the morning, I’m prepared. Beyond the entire pot of coffee, what helps me is the half hour I get to spend on the writing porch with my morning pages. If I give myself enough time to great the day and quietly prepare, my day goes much, much better.
I love your writing porch! The name just sounds so inspiring. That’s a good tip, too. Having a space dedicated to quiet focus can be really helpful to any routine.
Sarah, you cram a lot into 45 minutes! Just imagine what you’ll be able to do with that 30 minutes before the kids wake up. I too have a difficult time getting up. I’ve never heard of this course, but it sounds like I may need some help. Thanks for pointing me this direction.
Thanks, Ciara! Even a little bit of quiet, focused time can be so helpful!
It is wise to begin the morning routine the night before, particularly for families with school age children and both parents working. As empty nesters, I can promise you that it gets better! Our mornings are much more relaxed than when the children were growing up.
That’s encouraging! Thanks, Shirley!
Excellent post! It’s so important to have a purpose, that’s what will make you get out of bed! I need to think this over and plan my mornings now!
Agreed. I’ve narrowed my focus down to prayer and writing and have been amazed at what a difference it has made. I have completed my manuscript for my children’s book and feel more spiritually centered. All in 30 minutes a day!
Excellent advice! My daughter, who is only 7, likes to sleep in no matter how early I put her to bed so I’m always up before her during the week. It’s nice to be able to have some me time before I have to get her up and ready.
I’m jealous that you have a sleeper!
I am a big believer in routine! Ever since college I have had some sort of morning routine in place, and I do feel it sets me up for the rest of my day!
Definitely! And those routines change over time and with the demands of each season of life. It’s kind of fun to look back and think about what my routine looked like in college, in grad school, as a single woman, as a newlywed, etc.
Thank you so much for your easy practical tips. My morning routine always start with Yoga and my Green Tea.
Oooh, I love some green tea!
You are welcome home, Sarah … 🙂
I just started the Make over Your Mornings class!! I have a baby and so the whole getting up early thing just can’t happen! I know it would make such a difference, but between middle of the night wake up calls, and nursing and…well you know how it goes! I just can’t make myself get up at 5:30!! But I am loving her class so far and you have a great routine set up for yourself! I am still working on establishing mine 😉
I definitely wouldn’t worry about it right now with having a baby so young. I know that I didn’t until my youngest was one. Sleep is more important for you now!
I have the Makeover Your Mornings course, but I haven’t started it yet. Still, when I am being good;), I do wake up at 5:30 and head to the gym to work out and spend a bit of time in the Bible before the morning rush ensues with getting the kids and husband out the door for the day. Rising before the children really is a must, I agree!
I hope you enjoy the course! I’m also very impressed that you go to the gym in the mornings. Wow!
Great post! I transformed my mornings about a year ago by rising earlier than my family. I used a book called Early to Rise – it gave me different challenges each day and was full of inspiration to help me use my time better. It does help to have something to commit to each day. I haven’t seen this particular post of Crystal Paine’s, but I do think she has lots of great and practical ideas. Thank you for this post!
I haven’t read Early to Rise. I’ll have to check it out! Thanks for the suggestion!
I’ll trade ya…our youngest is a sophomore at Bowie State University and our oldest is in his 2nd year in the CLSC Program at the University of Delaware. Just remember, “this too shall pass” and oftentimes too quickly!
You are so right. I know I will miss this stage of life soon!
I have a certain routine to and I feel at my best when I do it right. I seem to do better with 7 hours of sleep so I get up at 7 start the laundy, fix my tea get dressed and ready for the day. My son-in-law drops my 10 month twin grandchildren off and I fix them breakfast, give them a bottle and lay them down. Then it’s momma’s turn to get up and I fix her breakfast and clean up the mess. Most of the day goes like that, but I’m also a full time blogger so I’m up until midnight every night. My grandchildren go home at 3 though where your day is starting all over again. I hope you have a great year. It sounds like you have a hand full!
I’m amazed that you can stay up until midnight each night. Isn’t it funny how each person’s natural rhythm is so different?
I love Crystal Paine’s Make Over Your Mornings course! Unfortunately, I fall into that “waking up fifty million times a night because I have a two year old and a baby” category. But, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, and I can’t wait to start waking up before the kids again! 🙂
I hear you, Kelly! My kiddos are 6, 3, and 1, so I am just getting back into the swing of getting up early as opposed to during the night. Best of luck!
Getting up early is something I struggle with. I need to get better about setting up a routine. Thanks so much for this post. I need all these tips!!
I don’t have children, but I LOVE these tips. Packing lunch the night before, forcing yourself to bed at a certain time and clean laundry when you get home?! PERFECT!
Although I do not have little ones at home any more, your advice is useful and applicable to all stages of life! Especially prepping before bed- writing a list of the things I need to do the next day, making lunches and getting my own clothes ready for the next day… to tell you the truth, what it does for me is allow me to sleep in just a few minutes longer in the morning, and wake up with no stress because I don’t have to put much brain power into getting out the door. You have given Super advice!
I definitely need down a list the night before, or else I find myself thinking and worrying about it while in bed. Such a quick fix!
Ha! My morning routine is that I hate mornings! I do prep the night before like you do, but I’m notorious for hitting snooze for 30+ minutes and sometimes I don’t even remember hitting snooze! I’m trying to do better by using my phone alarm and having it across the room so I have to actually GET OUT OF BED to hit snooze, so I usually just get up! 🙂 Good luck with the new routine!
Mornings have always been a struggle for me. We do have a bit of a morning routine since my daughter is in school and my son has therapy, but I’ve just come to realize that I’m not a morning person. I function well and get everyone where they are supposed to be on time, but I wouldn’t complain if my days could start after 10 AM.
Glad that you’ve found a morning routine that has been helpful to you though.
I saw Crystal Paine at a homeschool convention a couple years ago and I remember her talking about getting up before her kids. The days I can make myself do that, there is a huge difference. I, like you, am trying to figure out how i can stretch that few minutes into exercising, Bible study, and writing as well. I don’t know that I will ever have it down perfectly, but even accomplishing one of those things helps get things on the right track.
So fun that you got to hear her speak. I’ve been following her blog for years now 🙂
I find that getting up before my kids makes my days start better, too. I like having a little time to get organized before the mayhem. Thanks so much for the tips–getting prepared the night before is a great idea.
Great routine. I too try and get things prepped the night before. I have the kids shower and pick out their school clothes before bed. I also make sure all backpacks are ready to go and that I have filled out paperwork that needs to head back to school. Nothing stresses my morning out like having the kids give me a bunch of papers to fill out at 6 in the morning!
That sounds like a book I need to get. Mornings are always so crazy and I end up running late. Who wants to start out the day that way?
I think your morning routine is great. We all need a game plan in order to make our lives work! Great article. 🙂
Thank you for the tips and the advice. I need at least 7 hours of sleep. So i try to prepare everything from the day before. Your post is inspiring.
I am a school nurse and also have the difficulty of back to school issues with getting up early again! I have had more trouble this year then ever before! Not sure why…I am working to get back into the habit of getting up at 5am to get my workout done for the day…goals!
Yes, getting up before my kids would probably help mornings go a little smoother, but I absolutely loath mornings. In fact, while the kiddos are enjoying breakfast I’m excited to finally dive into my first cup of coffee (semi) uninterrupted. I do absolutely agree with getting things ready the night before. That saves me so much in the morning because I am not worried about forgetting something. We also have the rule of no tv before school. They get caught up and then I have trouble getting them out the door. That is the best thing I could have done for our routine (and I wish I would have thought of it sooner).
No tv before school is a great one!
Being the first one in the house to wake up is something I discovered a few years ago, and I LOVE it! I’m the type of person who gets the most done when I first wake up so it’s super helpful for me to have an extra hour or so. Most days that’s also the only alone time I get so I use it as my quiet Buble study time too.
Yes, I also wake up before everyone else in the house. I like the feeling of everything quiet, that’s the time I read my Bible and do my devotional. And yes it has improved the way I see the entire day ahead of me. It makes me feel that I have been ahead instead of being behind…Great insights!
I love having a purpose for my mornings. I get most of my daily to dos done long before my husband (my manchild lol) gets up.
i swear you wrote this for me…
i work inside my home but these mornings? oh.em.gee. 6am AND functioning? *sigh*
i keep trying to do like you and wake up before the kids but man… you already know that as a nursing mom with a baby who wakes up at unpredictable hours, this can be so sometimey!!! but i sooooo need to do this!!!
I recently finished the Miracle Morning. I have been getting up earlier to gain my sanity! lol
I read the Bible, write in my gratitude journal and workout. I get up an hour before my family to make it happen.
I love getting up before my family. I need that alone quiet time to gather my thoughts, spend time with Him, and get in the right frame of mind. I find that my day is so much better.
Throwing a load in the wash at night works for us too. We have a setting on our washer that allows for a delay. So I can put everything in and it’ll start at whatever time I’ve set it.
Oh, I am not a morning person! And so, yes, I also do not get up before my children. Right now my 3 & 5 year olds are so happy in the morning and play so nicely that it makes it easy to stay in bed…until it all goes wrong and I have crazy messes or huge fights to break up as my introduction to the new day. I am going to check out this course.
I have been attempting to get up before my kids and go to bed early. It’s hard though since I’m a night person. :/
It’s amazing what a little ‘me’ time before the day starts can do! I don’t have kids, but I do have a full time job that starts me early and has me coming home late, and I love when I take the time to get up early and have time for myself. I am so with you in that it gives me SO much purpose! I feel rejuvenated, as though I’ve had a fresh cup of coffee or something. I’m so glad you’ve found the secret to feeling better in the mornings! Have a wonderful week!
As someone without children I can’t totally relate to being woken up by the kids, but I have over the years had cats that feel the need to wake me a good 1 or 2 before I need to be up and it can be quite startling at that moment when you feel you are sleeping better than you have all night. I have never been a morning person and have always wanted to change that about myself, but at 45 now – I’m not sure it’s going to happen! But, you do inspire me since you are trying to do it all with 3 kids!
I’ve heard that pets can be quite demanding! We only have a goldfish at this point–3 little ones seem to be all we can handle 🙂