Chaos of Morning
Why why why can't the boys and I pull off an easy out the door morning?
Is it me?
Am I allowing enough time to get them ready? Am I spending too much time getting myself ready and relying on them to do to much on their own? Are they getting enough sleep? Are they confused about what is required of them?
I don't know.
What I do know is that I feel that I have tried everything, every last thing. And yet we still have chaotic mornings that often include a fit, tears, and someone raisingher their voice.
Examples of what we have tried:
Today: I didn't even shower, get dressed or brush my teeth. I got up promptly at 7am and stood in the hall until 7:35 herding thecats boys. As I folded laundry in the hall I checked in on them every 10 seconds "did you change your underwear? "do you have on clean socks?" "get dressed Gabe" "happy valentine's day" "let's make it a great day" did you brush your teeth?" "lets get moving".
Everyone was on track. Then an argument erupts accusing one of not brushing his teeth and there goes the morning.
Yesterday: I got up, woke the boys up, and then headed back to my room to get ready. I come out. One is dressed, one is not, one is spraying the mirror with the water bottle I bought to tame their hair and there goes the morning.
Day before: I get up, wake up the boys, and find oh they are already up. Uh oh Eli has his iPod, now I have to take it way. He'll "never ever ever in the whole wide world ever get it back" and there goes the morning.
In other days: fights over who gets to read the devotional or pour their cereal first, burning toast, bumping with a backpack which results in breaking the closet door. Throwing balls in the house, not tying shoes, he looked at me weird, none of your business, that's mine......
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!
We established morning rules:
1. no playing anything until fully dressed and ready for school
2. one at a time in the bathroom
3. no talking to each other at all until you get downstairs
4. nevermind #3, no talking to each other at all until you get in the car.
5. scratch #4, no talking to each other until you get home from school.
6. E gets to sit by the power door on the way to school G on the way home.
7. No looking at each other.
The boys honestly get along really well almost all of the time, with the exception of school mornings in which case they get along about 1% of the time.
Not only does this drive me crazy, but it really kicks the day off bad for everyone! Sometimes this bleeds over into a bad day for G at school.
So we have a friend coming to stay with us for 6 weeks. Yep. You read that correctly SIX WEEKS. Matt and I were talking about the logistics of the stay and Matt said "you know the only reason why I wouldn't want him to stay here is because of the mornings".
Now, that is pretty bad when you are not sure if you can open your home to a friend because of the disaster that your mornings are.
Oh dear Lord help us with our mornings!
Is it me?
Am I allowing enough time to get them ready? Am I spending too much time getting myself ready and relying on them to do to much on their own? Are they getting enough sleep? Are they confused about what is required of them?
I don't know.
What I do know is that I feel that I have tried everything, every last thing. And yet we still have chaotic mornings that often include a fit, tears, and someone raising
Examples of what we have tried:
Today: I didn't even shower, get dressed or brush my teeth. I got up promptly at 7am and stood in the hall until 7:35 herding the
Everyone was on track. Then an argument erupts accusing one of not brushing his teeth and there goes the morning.
Yesterday: I got up, woke the boys up, and then headed back to my room to get ready. I come out. One is dressed, one is not, one is spraying the mirror with the water bottle I bought to tame their hair and there goes the morning.
Day before: I get up, wake up the boys, and find oh they are already up. Uh oh Eli has his iPod, now I have to take it way. He'll "never ever ever in the whole wide world ever get it back" and there goes the morning.
In other days: fights over who gets to read the devotional or pour their cereal first, burning toast, bumping with a backpack which results in breaking the closet door. Throwing balls in the house, not tying shoes, he looked at me weird, none of your business, that's mine......
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!
We established morning rules:
1. no playing anything until fully dressed and ready for school
2. one at a time in the bathroom
3. no talking to each other at all until you get downstairs
4. nevermind #3, no talking to each other at all until you get in the car.
5. scratch #4, no talking to each other until you get home from school.
6. E gets to sit by the power door on the way to school G on the way home.
7. No looking at each other.
The boys honestly get along really well almost all of the time, with the exception of school mornings in which case they get along about 1% of the time.
Not only does this drive me crazy, but it really kicks the day off bad for everyone! Sometimes this bleeds over into a bad day for G at school.
So we have a friend coming to stay with us for 6 weeks. Yep. You read that correctly SIX WEEKS. Matt and I were talking about the logistics of the stay and Matt said "you know the only reason why I wouldn't want him to stay here is because of the mornings".
Now, that is pretty bad when you are not sure if you can open your home to a friend because of the disaster that your mornings are.
Oh dear Lord help us with our mornings!
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