How I am Building a Morning Routine With My Toddler
Waking up early isn’t always a walk in the park. I’ve started rising at 5:50 AM to carve out just 10 precious minutes for myself before waking my son at 6 AM. Once the day kicks off, it’s all about the routine. I brew my black coffee and prepare breakfast for my husband while getting my son’s meal ready. He has three cereal options: Protein Cheerios Cinnamon, Plain Cheerios, and Kix. More often than not, he opts for the Protein Cheerios, which is great since he could use the extra protein. He’s been a picky eater since he was little.
His go-to foods include cereal, homemade mac and cheese, a slice of block cheese, peanut butter, goldfish crackers, and on very rare occasions, some candy or animal crackers—oh, and let’s not forget the peanut butter pancakes. Some might look at that list and think he’s not eating enough, but he’s actually getting his grains, dairy, protein, and carbs, and he’s growing. The challenge lies in getting him to eat fruits and veggies. Some days, we can convince him to have chicken nuggets or even pizza, but those instances are few and far between. Plus, we don’t always have the budget for those treats, which have to come from McDonald’s and Pizza Hut—such is his pickiness.
While he has his favorite foods, I need to keep a close eye to make sure he’s actually eating and not getting sidetracked by everything around him. I mentioned having a new routine: waking up at 5:50 AM and getting him up at 6 AM. It’s been my life for the past few days, and while it’s challenging, I’ve set up a schedule on my phone to help keep me somewhat organized. There are moments when I skip certain things because I either hit snooze too many times or struggle to wake him.
I’ve had my share of frustrations, especially when it comes to working through meals with him. I’m learning to manage my anger when things don’t go as planned. Instead of taking it out on him, I’ve started taking a step back, closing my eyes, and taking deep breaths. It’s important to remind myself that it’s not his fault if things unraveled; it’s my expectations that need adjustment.
When it’s meal time, I make it a priority for him to get his food while preparing something for the adults, aiming to share a meal together. Coordinating this with my husband’s work hours and my son’s school schedule isn’t always easy, but I do my best. While I’m at home, I also try to keep the house tidy and steal a few moments of peace amid the chaos.
Forgive the rambling; isn’t that just the nature of life with a toddler?
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