Whew. Our family just returned from a week-long trip out of state to visit family and boy is it good to be back in our routine. My kids enjoyed longer days, staying up later than usual to visit with their cousins and pushing the limits of naptime. After a fun week we are all settling back into our usual routine and catching up on all the things – grocery shopping, laundry, and so on.
After catching up on some rest after several delayed flights and room sharing with a baby and toddler I am easing myself back into my morning routine. As someone who loves her sleep I’ve discovered it means more to me to wake up before the kids to enjoy a warm cup of coffee in a quiet corner of the house before the kids hop out of bed and literally hit the ground running.
I am certainly not a morning person but I’ve gradually evolved into an early riser. Don’t get me wrong, I will definitely hit snooze about half a dozen times before crawling out of bed, but I try to be ready before my little ones sound the alarm at 6AM. I’ve looked up to people who get up and start their day with a workout and manage to be productive first thing in the morning. I never thought I could be one of those people since I need to ease into my day, but having kids changes you, or forces you to change, especially if your kids are up before the sun like mine. I’ve heard people say it and unfortunately I’ve found it to be true, that if I don’t wake up early and make time for myself before the kids wake up then I probably won’t get a chance later in the day. I’ve tried and failed many times to be a morning workout person but it seems to have stuck after having my second child. There is just absolutely no spare time in the day for myself which led me to start waking up at 5AM. In all honesty, I used AI to create a schedule for myself. I listed my priorities with number one being quality time with the kids during their wake hours and generated a rotating schedule to fit in everything else once the kids are asleep. Of course no day is perfect and we adapt as needed, but having a plan makes things much easier to stick to. That being said, here is how I’ve structured my morning to consistently start my days strong and avoid burnout –
🌅 WEEKDAY DAILY RHYTHM (MON–FRI)
🌄 5:00 – 6:30 AM (Protected Morning Block)
5:00 – 5:15 AM Read + Coffee
5:15 – 5:55 AM Quick Workout (about 30-40 minutes)
5:55 – 6:05 AM Protein + Quick Breakfast
6:05 – 6:25 AM Shower + Dress
6:25 – 6:30 AM Kitchen Reset + Prep Kids Breakfast
☀️ 6:30 AM – 1:00 PM (Connection + Home Flow)
6:30–8:00 Breakfast + Slow Morning + Music
8:00–9:15 Preschool at Home (Literacy, Numbers, Craft)
9:15–9:30 Quick Tidy + Prep Snack
9:30–10:00 Snack
10:00–11:15 Outing / Outdoor Play / Library
11:15–11:30 Lunch Prep
11:30–12:30 Lunch + Clean Up
12:30–1:00 Quiet Play + Nap Wind Down
We hear it all the time that kids thrive on routine, but honestly don’t we thrive on it too? Not to say every day has to be the same, because as moms we know that’s never the case, but having some predictability helps things to run a little more smoothly, at least in my house. There are always some change ups day to day, but if nothing else this gives us something to fall back on when the day starts to get a little off track. Our afternoons are less structured because post nap/quiet time is always less predictable, but we do try to stay in a gentle rhythm to keep our evenings simple and enjoyable. I also try to rotate through chores and housework throughout the week during naps or evenings and will share more in an upcoming post. Until then feel free to browse through a few of the items that help my mornings run smoothly down below. I hope you find something helpful here, mama. Stick around for more to come!
- Hatch Restore 3 Sleep System | Sunrise Alarm Clock – https://amzn.to/3Pz1ynd
- Amazon Basics Neoprene Dumbbell Hand Weights for Exercise and Muscle Toning – https://amzn.to/4rYCq6P
- BlenderBottle Sport Flip Shaker Cup Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Wire Whisk, 25-Ounce, Brown Flowers – https://amzn.to/4bQ9IPk
Clairborne Cadence Co. 
Leave a comment