How to Win at Mornings When You're Not a Morning Mom

The alarm goes off at 6:45 a.m. I let it ring for a few minutes before I groan and reach my hand out to find its glorious snooze button. I sigh and lay in bed for another five minutes, trying to calculate the latest possible time I can get up before Little C is late for the bus. Without fail, she bounds into our bedroom at 6:55—she's wide awake and ready for the day to get started. I'm still half asleep. I admit it. I am NOT a morning mom.

With my oldest entering grade two this year, and my middle daughter ready for kindergarten (OH MY WORD!), I know that I have to get my morning act in gear for them. I need to feed them a healthy breakfast, and make sure everyone has a lunch as they head out the door—and try not to grumble and snap as I do it. I need to win at mornings!

Are you chipper and smiley in the morning and ready to take on the day? I salute you. Are you a non-morning mom like me? Let me share with you the tricks I've learned over the past couple of school years with my young kids that have helped me win at mornings.

The first step for a smoother early school morning? Prep as much as you can in advance the night before.

Go through backpacks in the evening, fill out forms and even prepare lunches at night. If you're a night owl like me, your morning self will thank you heartily for having these things done beforehand.

Next, have a simple morning ritual for yourself that motivates you to get out of bed.

For me, that ritual is a glorious cup of black coffee or a homemade vanilla latte. Your happy ritual might be to have a cup of tea, get in a little workout or watch the morning news. Whatever you do, just make sure it can only take place away from your bedroom so you have to get up!

Share an easy breakfast full or protein with your kids.

Protein helps you feel more full for longer, so it's a great choice for both a happy mama and happy kids. I find that lots of protein-packed foods are quite time consuming to make, so look for breakfast choices like Breakfast Bagel Bites. These guys have a whopping 8-10 grams of protein per serving, and they're SO quick to prepare.

My favourite way to prepare these is in the oven, so that they're super-crispy. However, if you're short on time, they taste yummy cooked in the microwave, too. They come in a little crisping tray that you can pop right in the microwave, which makes them surprisingly crisp and not soggy!

Baby B especially loves these, and she calls them "Bite Bagels".

One box of Breakfast Bagel Bites is the perfect amount for my three girls and me (there's nine per box), and our favourite flavour is the Bacon/Sausage/ Cheese. You can also find these in Bacon/Egg/Cheese, Sausage/Egg/ Cheese, and Bacon/ Cheese. Yummy!

Finally, ask for help!

You don't have to trudge through early mornings alone. Don't forget to ask your kids to help you make everything go smoothly. Sometimes I forget that my seven-year-old is fully willing and capable to help pack backpacks and lunches, and find her own clothes and hairbrush. Her little sister, who's four, is ready to help too! She can help me prep breakfast and get outdoor clothes ready by the front door. Clearly outlining your morning expectations for your kids and helping them execute those plans will make mornings go a lot smoother for everyone.

So, tell me: What are YOUR tricks to making early mornings go a lot smoother with young kids?

Disclaimer: I received the products mentioned in this post for free by Bagel Bites and I'm being paid by Rogers to review them. The opinions expressed in my blog are my own and not those of Rogers or Today's Parent.