We Had a Good Morning

I wish that wasn’t noteworthy but lately in our house, good stress-free, no-tension mornings just don’t happen very often.

I just had a pang of guilt and teensy twinge of shame seeing that in writing but I’m willing to bet that is true of many households where you’re trying to get two parents to work, a kiddo or two or three to school and a baby or two or three to daycare.

On top of that, things have been kinda rough around our house where Brooke is concerned. There’s been a lot of back-talk, attitude, defiance…all kinds of fun stuff. So even a simple request to get dressed or asking what she would like for breakfast could turn into a yelling match.

(Again, that pang and twinge just got me but I have a feeling more than one someone reading this can relate.)

In an attempt to get some peace in our house, I consulted a book that recommended first and foremost, at least 10 minutes of regular daily alone time with your kiddo. I had really struggled with how to make that work when our after work/school routine left very little free time, let alone time I could devote to just Brooke with Leah being in a very hands-on stage. Then I had threw around the idea to find time into our morning. Again, finding a pocket of time in the morning seemed impossible but I didn’t know how else I was going to swing it.

So the past couple mornings, I’ve gotten up a few minutes earlier to have breakfast with Brooke before school. I usually eat breakfast at my desk when I get into the office and would be packing Leah’s daycare bag or my pump bag or something while Brooke had hers before school. She always looked lonely at that big dining room table alone but I had stuff to do, ya know?

Yesterday morning was our first before school/work breakfast together. It wasn’t the smoothest morning. She really fought me on getting ready at all and I quickly grew frustrated. Once she’d woken up though, things got rolling. Today, it took much less convincing to get moving and even though Leah decided to get up early and interrupt our meal, it was a great morning. There was even time to work on a photo a day challenge together!

And now, because I wrote this, I’m prepared for tomorrow to be hard again. Cross your fingers that it’s another good one for me!!

I’m linking this up today with Things I Can’t Say’s Pour Your Heart Out linkup.