A picture of a coffee mug overlooking into the woods.

Images of 5am mornings, quiet cups of coffee alone before the kids wake up. Seems like a dream to you? You are not alone. Here’s the truth: not every morning routine has to be or will look like this. Today on the blog I’m going to share with you how to have a morning routine with children around, especially little children around (my children are currently 10, 7, 5, and 2 for reference).

Get up when you want to

If sleeping in or lounging around is your jam, do that. And if you can when you wake up (whatever time it is), here’s a spot where you can get in some of your morning routine time too. Such as prayer, quiet, reading a book. My two littlest people are usually here with me during this part of my morning routine. They mostly play..and sometimes beg for food, but I try to prepare in advance for that! Sometimes it’s to tell the five year old to grab some cheerios to bring up. This would be not doable for all families and ages, but worth a shot if it may work or something to put away for future ideas.

Work around what you are given

My kids are generally slow breakfast eaters and mostly quiet, so I’ll sneak in some time here too. Reading and writing usually. If you know you can get quiet during play doh time or a tv show, sneak in time here, too. Be creative! It’ll look different for each person.

Here’s what I’m doing currently that’s working for me:
I get up when my two littlest are awake, anywhere from 6:30-7:30. I usually do my prayer, reading, and a few other small things in bed. I usually do a bit of writing at another point, sometimes at the breakfast table. Ideally I like to finish most of it before breakfast, but sometimes I continue with the kids at the table (I pop on an audiobook for them on those days). For me, it’s worth trying to have a morning routine because I find it helps me enter into the day more peacefully. Obviously some mornings aren’t like that with my kids, but that’s real life too, right?!

Do what works for you and don’t compare

What others do may not work for you. If it becomes more of a fight, then take it as a sign that it just might be the wrong strategy or time of a day. If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. Keep going! I hope you enjoyed my tips on how to have a morning routine with children around.

FREEBIE: MORNING ROUTINE TEMPLATE WITH KIDS

Last year, I finally started a morning routine for myself and it’s really helped my days out so much. I feel more peaceful throughout the rest of the day and I’m finding time for those things that matter most to me. Morning routines can be tricky, but with a little bit of planning and using what you are given, you can start small with your own morning routine. I created a simple template for you to work through creating your own morning routine with children around - you can find that HERE. Enjoy!

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Hi, I’m Kelly! I’m a mother of four children - three boys, one toddler girl - and our family lives on the beautiful east coast of Canada. I’m a past elementary teacher, turned stay at home, work at home mom eight years ago after I had my second child. I’ve found that the busier I’ve become and as my children age, that it’s become even more important to figure out what is most important to me and us as a family. Living a simpler lifestyle has helped us in so many ways in our home life - from better routines to faster tidying up times. It has been through my children that I have been inspired to learn how to effectively manage my time and to simplify in all areas of my home and life. I enjoy helping busy moms simplify home life by teaching flexible planning methods and skills. Enjoyed this blog and think it would be helpful to others? I'd love if you shared it. Thank you!