August 15, 2018

5 ways to make mornings easier

This post is sponsored by NESTLÉ® NESQUIK® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

We still have a few days before we head back to school but I know some of y'all have started already.  I am conflicted.  Part of me wants to hold on to every last bit of Summer Vacation.  The other half of me is counting down the days till we are back into our school routines and schedules.

During the summer, many mornings may have been overlooked. Or slept through.  Which means the biggest adjustment when school starts will be the waking up part.  Lucky for me the boys are pretty good with this adjustment.  The first few days can be a little rough, but then they get with the program.  We will be taking the next couple of days to get back into a more normal nightly routine and so I'm hoping that will help.

If I had a dollar for every time someone commend on our sleep and wake up habits I would be rich, so today I'm going to share a few things we do to get our school days started with mostly smiles!




EARLY BEDTIMES
People think I am crazy when I tell them my boys are usually sleeping before the sun goes down.  Bedtime around here is 7:45.  Yes I have a teenager.  And yes, he is ready for bed by that time.  Sometimes he stays up reading for a bit or writing but hes ready for bed.  The younger one is usually dreaming before 8.  Bedtime wasn't a thing when I was growing up and now that I am a parent, who still doesn't sleep, I see just how important it is.  During the Summer we get a little crazy with bed times but now that we are getting ready for back to school, and are back home from vacation, its time to get back into a solid routine. And early bedtimes are key for good mornings!


UNPLUG & UNWIND
Hear me out now.  If you know my family, we love all things tech.  My boys and I love to play video games.  But during the school week, this mom cracks down on anything that comes with a plug.  During the school week, the Play Station and X Box remain off.  Both boys do have phones.  Anthonys goes with him to school, but Alex's stays home unless they have electronic days.  They are allowed to play them before school once they have eaten, are dressed and their bags are ready to go.  Once I call them for dinner, their phones go on the counter and are turned off for the night and they know its time to unwind.


PACK EARLY
I struggled with this for the longest time.  I always felt like I was cheating or just being lazy if I didn't wake up early and make their lunches in the morning.  My mother in law suggested I wrap sandwiches in wax paper to keep the sandwiches "fresh" and since doing it that way, I have not had one complaint.  In fact I have had ended up sending more than once sandwich for Anthonys friends who kept trying to trade him school lunches for his lunch.  Back packs and papers can be packed the night before too!  Having things packed up the night before will cut down on so much early morning frustrations!


SET THE ALARMS
A few years ago the boys got alarm clocks and we haven't looked back.  Side note, my boys are not morning kids.  They are bears.  You have to be really brave to wake them up because they will not be happy with you for doing it.  This way, I didn't have to sit there for 5 minutes praying they won't bite me when I wake them.  And they were able to learn to get themselves up, while I am in a safe place across the house!  Once I hear them moving around, I know its safe to come out.  Anyone else have bears?


BALANCED BREAKFASTS
Its no secret.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  But when everyone is tired, grumpy, and rushing to get out the door on time, breakfast can get rushed or skipped even.  The horror.  But in order to help them get through their day better, I always make sure they eat something.  I should also say that these bears boys are not the breakfast type.  Thankfully I have discovered a little something at Walmart that is going to help balance out our back to school mornings.


NESTLÉ® NESQUIK® Super Breakfast Drinks are a great way to make sure your kids are getting a well balanced mean before they are off to school.  They are made from 100% real milk.  They are free of artificial sweetener, flavors and colors and have no high fructose corn syrup! But they do have 12 g of protein which is a great start the day!

Want to try NESQUIK® Super Breakfast out?  Check the juice isle at your local Walmart!  Plus you can save $1.50 when you check out this Ibotta Rebate

Lets talk about your back to school mornings!  Do you have morning kids?  Let me know below how you prepare for your early mornings!  

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