Mornings Are Tough | Why I’m Thankful #ForBetterBeginnings

A big thank you to PlaytexBaby™ for sponsoring this post, and for making our mornings just a little less tough!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately, about how hard this season of life is… how difficult motherhood in general can really be. I love my kids dearly, but I would be lying if I said that doing anything, that involves three children, under the age of five, was easy. Mornings tend to be particularly tough around here. From the moment my kids wake up, which is always much earlier than I’d prefer, they are ready to go (even if I am not!). There is no easing into the days around here; there are no slow and lazy mornings. There are diapers to be changed, sippy cups to be filled and breakfasts to be prepared… lots of needs to be fulfilled, most of which are not my own. Before I even pour my first cup of coffee, the chaos has ensued, and don’t even get me started on how many times that cup needs to be reheated before I actually finish it and move on to my second cup.

My two older kids both attend school for a couple of hours, a few days a week, so those mornings are always the toughest for us. One of them goes in the morning, and one in the afternoon, so getting everything in order early is essential. Add in trying to stick to the baby’s schedule while chauffeuring them back and forth in our minivan, and the real head spinning begins. Once everyone is out of bed, I change my youngest’s diaper, and then try to feed my kids breakfast right away. We’ve officially hit the point where a simple diaper change has turned into a full-blown wrestling match, so this takes much longer than it should. Does anyone else ever question how a person so tiny can suddenly seem so strong when it comes time for a diaper change? While I wrestle with Theo, Ella and Max finish eating and brush their teeth, then it’s on to dressing them for the day. As you can probably imagine, this also turns into a big debacle, as I’m currently dealing with that new-found streak of independence in both of them. You know, where they think that they can do everything for themselves, and love to refuse help from me, even though they both still need it. Once I’ve finally wrangled them into outfits that match and ensure that no one has put their shirt on backwards, it’s time to tackle shoes and coats… “I can do it myself” is a phrase repeated several times a day around here. So, as they try to zip up their own coats, and I microwave my coffee for the fifth time, I attempt to multitask and pack their lunch boxes. This is usually the point in the morning where I start thinking about all of the things that I am thankful for as a #playtexmom… I’m talking about the things that make mornings like these just a little bit easier, because when you’re a mom it’s all about the little luxuries, right?

First and foremost, I am thankful for travel coffee mugs and/or the Starbucks drive-thru. Without caffeine to-go , I simply could not function.

I am thankful for products that make things run a little smoother, like sippy cups that don’t leak, and snack cups that allow my kids to eat cereal on-the-go, when we don’t have time to squeeze in a sit down breakfast.

I’m thankful that my older kids are at least making the effort to do things for themselves, even if at times it can be frustrating.

I’m thankful for the weekends, when my husband is home and can help me tag team the craziness.

Lastly, and most of all, I am thankful that I have been blessed with the opportunity to be home for these mornings, because even though they’re tough, I wouldn’t change a thing.

What’s the one thing that helps make mornings with your kids less tough?  Watch this videothis video to see how other moms handle those tough mornings, and be sure to follow PlaytexBaby™ on Instagram!