After working second-shift for over a decade and relishing in mornings not governed by the clock, I am now more than a year into a typical daytime schedule and holy whiplash! Kudos to those of you out there, successfully wrangling two or more little ones in the earliest hours of the day. I only have to worry about one…
Sometimes I feel like we’re firing on all cylinders and my superhero cape is flying proudly in the wind as we leave on time and in good spirits without feeling defeated.
Other days I feel like I’ve already been through the ringer before sunrise and have a full day of work ahead despite already putting out 47 fires before I clock in.
One minute, I’m snuggling a sleepy, sweet girl who wakes up full of joy, ready to tackle the day with her carefully selected {often mismatched} outfit of choice. The next, I’ve turned into the mom who is nagging for the tenth time about how we have to MOVE MOVE MOVE.
As it turns out, time does not slow down no matter how long it takes my child to slurp her cereal or find the right pair of socks. I don’t want the day to start in a pool of frustration, so I try to tread lightly in kindness. I also don’t want to explain to my boss how #momlife has made me late {again} and before long I’m floundering in the deep end, hoping for a raft full of saving grace.
Packing lunches or laying out clothes the night before is key, but sometimes I fail to get ahead because… #sotired. Showering and getting my make-up on before tackling breakfast is key, but sometimes I fall behind because… #distracted. Having an angelic amount of patience no matter what obstacle is thrown my way is key, but sometimes I lose my cool because… #omgchild, #wehavetogo.
We have alarms and charts and milestone times that guide us through the process, but sometimes it’s just HARD.
Every morning is the same.
You’d think we’d be a well-oiled machine by now.
One wrong move and we’re teetering on the edge of punctuality or tardiness.
Throughout the course of any given morning I am many things…
A friendly alarm clock.
A supportive, sweet, loving mother.
A helpful, experienced motivational speaker.
A team player hoping for a collective win.
A coach, frustrated after giving the same speech many times.
A drill sergeant on the brink of explosive tactics.
A crazy person ready to call it quits.
A deflated balloon lying crumpled on the floor.
A soft-spoken, apologetic sad panda.
A life coach inspiring us to embrace our strengths.
Above all else, I am allowing myself some of that life-saving grace because I am also a dedicated, do-it-all, working momma who will forever be an optimist because hopefully we’re gifted tomorrow to do it all over again and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Can you relate on your craziest mornings? What is YOUR key to success?
