Morning Makeover: 3 Secrets to Stress-Free Mornings by @LoriKennedyRHN

The alarm clock goes off and you think to yourself, “Oh no, not morning already.” As you slowly crawl out of bed, a feeling of panic rushes over you. Mornings are rushed at the best of times, but add in an early morning meltdown or a missing piece of homework, and it’s enough to put any parent over the edge.

You try to steal two minutes of peace and quiet for yourself so you can pee, brush your teeth and get dressed before all hell breaks loose. I don’t even bother showering in the mornings anymore. Running around the house, chasing after kids, making lunches and maybe grabbing two bites of breakfast before rushing out the door is no way for any member of your household to start the day.

My mornings became so stressful that I started waking up at 5:00 a.m. just so I could have 1 whole hour of time to myself. I relish those 60 minutes. It’s the only time in the day I get to myself without the constant pinging of devices, questions, emails and nagging. As a nutritionist, it’s important to me that my entire family eats well-balanced meals at the table before rushing off. I’ve learned a couple of time-saving tricks that you can easily use to makeover your morning routine.

Makeover Tip # 1: Pre-Made Breakfasts

I’m a stickler for a well balanced breakfast. The foods you chose at breakfast will set your emotional tone for the day, so make sure to chose wisely.

On the weekends we make a big batch of healthy pancakes, egg muffins, hard-boiled eggs and breakfast muffins. Fruits like cantaloupe, pineapple, watermelon and berries are washed, cut up and stored in the fridge.

This way, breakfast is pre-made and just needs to be warmed up or pulled from the fridge. This tip works great for picky eaters because there are 3 breakfast choices to choose from.

Makeover Tip # 2: Pick Out Clothes and Pack Bags the Night Before

Picking out clothes the night before is nothing new – except that it works when you actually do it. My 5 year-old-daughter is a mini fashionista. I couldn’t deal with the fights over the colour of her socks in the morning.

Now, picking out clothes is part of the bedtime routine. Both of my kids pick out their clothes, shoes and pack bags before heading off to bed. The clothes are brought downstairs and are placed on the couch so they can dress themselves before breakfast. This single tip dramatically changed my morning routine.

Makeover Tip # 3: Assign Duties to Each Family Member

My husband and I used to run into each other in the mornings, literally. It was annoying. Now we each have responsibilities so we stay out of each other’s way and get more done in less time.

I’m usually out of the house first so I help get the kids get dressed while he does breakfast. We don’t need to discuss the breakfast because it’s already made and the clothes are already laid out so it’s easy.

With two kids and jobs to get to mornings will never be 100% calm and pleasant but I’ve found these 3 makeover tips to be helpful in keeping the peace and walking out the door with a smile on.

 For FREE nutrition and real food tips, recipes and meal plans for moms and busy families visit www.lorikennedyrhn.com!