School days are generally stressful, agree? I have to admit that we’re always on the rush and there are days when we were running late. My eldest, who’s very time-conscious, would often get mad at me for not waking up early. Oops.

Of course, it’s a different story now that the kids are under Online Distance Learning. Mornings are less stressful and demanding since the kids only need to eat their breakfast and change their clothes before they can log-in. We don’t have to worry about traffic and being late since their “school” is just outside the room.

Don’t get me wrong. Our mornings are not stress-free all the time and there are days when my kids are just taking forever to get ready. There are also days where I am not in my most productive state and ended up watching K-drama.

Generally and during good days, the kids are cooperating and here’s what we’re doing:

TIP NO. 1: MAKE A FINAL CHECK BEFORE BEDTIME

This is a must. Rushing my kids to finish a homework is something I don’t like to do especially when class will start in a few minutes. Before the day ends, we make sure that all assignments were uploaded and that they are ready the following day, especially if they have quizzes.

TIP NO. 2: KIDS MUST SLEEP EARLY.

Instilling good sleeping habits is among my priorities as my kids growing up. I want them to get sufficient hours of sleep especially now that they are getting better. This is why I make sure that the kids are asleep before 9PM for variety of reasons.

First, so I won’t have a hard time waking them up the following day. They’ll be less cranky, too. Second, they don’t like afternoon naps, so they make up for it by having at least nine hours of uninterrupted sleep. Third, I need my peace and quiet while I do the chores. Haha!

Check out this post where I share tips on how I make my kids sleep early.

TIP NO. 3: DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AT NIGHT.

Nighttime is my favorite part of the day. Aside from getting that much-deserved me time with wine on the side, I can do chores without little humans messing up the house after.

Therefore, I maximize those hours where the kids are already asleep. I clean the house, fold dry clothes, and organize their study area. I also keep up with work and orders, and prepare according to the kids’ schedule the next day. This way, I don’t have to think about chores the following day. It reduces morning work, too.

TIP NO. 4: MOM, WAKE UP EARLY.

K-drama is getting in the way at times, which is why my usual wake up time of 5:30am is extended for an hour. Haha! Nevertheless, I do my best to wake up early so I could finish some work or start with laundry.

Aside from this, waking up early means I get to prepare better breakfast for the kids. The kids are not heavy breakfast eaters but at least, I won’t compromise it by serving whatever I could get my hands on.

More importantly, I need that 10 minutes of me time and just enjoying my cup of coffee. Trust me, it will surely make a difference and change the way you face the day – in a positive way, of course.

TIP NO. 5: COOK DINNER IN BULK.

Cooking is something I don’t really enjoy doing, especially during lunch time. Since I became helper-less, I made it a habit to cook in bulk, portion, and then store in the ref or freezer. This way, I don’t have to worry about what to feed my kids.

I never thought that this habit could be helpful during school days. Instead of worrying what to cook, I just get last night’s ulam and re-heat it. This is less hassle for me and saves me some time, too.

TIP NO. 6: KNOW THY ROUTINE

We live in a routine. As monotonous as it looks, routine keeps us organized and productive. My kids work well if they follow a schedule since they know what to do.

Ours isn’t that complicated. They just need to be up by 6:30am and then:

• Eat breakfast
• Take a quick shower
• Get dressed
• Set up their laptops
• Open the necessary links to open like email, Google Classroom, and Aralinks
• Sign in for attendance

They do these things independently while I finish doing the laundry.

TIP NO. 7: START THE DAY RIGHT, ALWAYS.

I am mindful on this one. My youngest daughter needs to be in a good mood before school starts otherwise, her entire day is messed up. She got better on this and learned to adjust eventually but there are still off days.

Making our mornings stress-free is not just about following a routine and ensuring that everything in the checklist is done. For the most part, it’s also about our outlook. When we start our day on a positive note, we’ll most likely end up happier and more relaxed. Kids can focus in school as well.

Mommas, this doesn’t have to be grand. Just make sure to greet your kids good morning. Give them breakfast with a smile on your face. Don’t forget to give them a hug because it will surely make a difference. Kids need to feel loved, yes?

TIP NO. 8: MOMMA, JUST BREATHE AND RELAX.

This is the most important tip. No matter how much we stress-proof our home, there will always be occasional slips and off days along the way. There are also days when I’m in auto-pilot mode and not really in the mood for anything.

Regardless of what you’re going through, mom, just take a deep breath. Shouting at the kids and forcing them to eat faster won’t help. Believe me, I’ve been there SO MANY TIMES and it just didn’t work.

Breathe. Don’t let little things get in the way and ruin the day.

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