Mommi Hacks

Morning Woes

Ever have one of those days where you felt like you repeated yourself over and over again? Did you pack your lunch? Did you make your bed? Do you have on deodorant? Did you brush your teeth? It is exhausting. The redundancy of motherhood takes a toll sometimes.

Not only do we have to remember to get ourselves together, but we are responsible for so many everyday decisions. And get this, we have to keep these kids alive too!

Creating Accountability

Over the last few weeks, I struggled getting my children to attend to their own needs. I realized that they lacked “executive function” skills. What is an executive function skill? Accountability is the best way that I can describe it. Rather than being a “hover mother”, simply delegate tasks that are developmentally appropriate for the ages of your children. Long story short, create lists, chore charts and organizational solutions that encourage independence.

Hacks for Wardrobe

My children attend a school that requires them to wear uniforms. On the days I do their laundry, I have a laundry rack located in the hallway that hangs their pants, shirts and PE clothes. Each morning, they know to grab a shirt and pair of pants from the rack. Underwear, shirts and socks are laid out the night before. This creates a great time saver in the morning. If for some reason I sleep in, they are able to find their clothes.

Morning Charts

Morning charts have become a saving grace. You can customize them with graphics if your child cannot read or is simply a visual learner. I laminated our charts. If you don’t have a laminator, you can use a sheet protector to preserve it. Each morning, my children will use a dry erase marker to indicate whether a task has been completed or not. There may even be an incentive to complete the chart without having to be reminded.

Homework Charts

Homework charts are great if you have teenagers. Simple areas to include would be: do I have all my assignments for the day, do I understand the material, did I include sources and punctuation? The most important information students often leave out are their name and date. A tip for virtual students, include “did I properly submit my assignment.” For middle school students I included “is my homework in my backpack?” There have been so many school drop-offs that resulted with me driving back up to school with a folder or telling him he is out of luck.

Give yourself Grace

Having children assist in their daily needs will save you from a gray hair or two. Even I get tired of hearing the sound of my voice on repeat. Granted, this is a work in progress. Give yourself grace for the days in which someone may have forgotten a lunch or has left the house with a shirt on inside out.

Remind yourself that you are incredible! You kept them alive! They are fed! Celebrate the small wins! Please share with us in the comments if you have any hacks that help you in the mornings.