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By taking steps to start your day on the right foot, you can show up as the energetic, joy-filled homeschool mama God is calling you to be!
A homeschool is rarely happier than the mama who runs it. ~Sarah MacKenzie
When my days consists of meeting the needs of little people nonstop, it becomes easy to neglect my own needs. I absolutely love homeschooling my children and learning alongside them, but it takes something that most people don’t have much of; time. While everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, what I choose to do with each of those hours can drastically affect how successful I am in meeting everyones needs throughout the day, including my own.
The phrase “you can’t pour from an empty cup” carries a good deal of truth to it. So many moms think they can survive on minimal sleep, poor eating habits (hello leftover pb&j from the toddlers plate!), and little to no time to themselves. What these habits lead to is burnout, with a cranky mom who shuts down and can’t meet anyone’s needs. So how can we fix this? Enter the morning routine. Starting your day off on the right foot will drastically impact how everything that follows unfolds. Read on to see what I prioritize to help me start my day right as a homeschool mama.
Sleep
My morning routine actually begins the night before, with a good night’s sleep. I have come to realize that I need a minimum of 9 hours of sleep to function well. More sleep is considered a bonus, but when I get less than 9 hours, I feel groggy, slow, and cranky. I generally try to go to bed by around 9:30pm so I can easily get up at 6:30am. In different seasons this can look different, but for now, this is what is working for me. Everyone is different, so figure out how many hours of sleep enables you to function well, then plan accordingly with your bedtime and wake up times!
Shower and Get Dressed
When I have a new baby, it sometimes feels impossible to be able to shower on a semi-regular basis. However, I have discovered it vastly impacts my mood when I have freshly stepped out of the shower and put on actual clothes, even if I don’t plan to leave the house that day. Typically, I can get a shower in and get myself dressed for the day before my kids come out of their rooms for the morning. Mamas, make this a priority!! Ask your husband to hold down the fort for 20 minutes while you take time to care for yourself. Plan to do it in the evening, after everyone is in bed or early before everyone is awake. Put on a show for your kids in the morning and have NO SHAME about taking good care of yourself! Each time you do, you’re setting the example for your kids on how to take good care of yourself.
Cold Face Plunge or Ice Roller
Stay with me here! While it may sound crazy, splashing some form of cold water on your face has so many benefits. Cold water not only wakes you up, but it increases blood flow to your face, shrinks pores, and tightens skin. When I first wake up, my face usually feels kind of puffy, especially around my eyes, and I feel groggy with sleep. To help myself feel awake and refreshed, I fill a large bowl with cold water and ice, then dip my face in for a few seconds at a time. I’ll usually do this 3 times; any more than that can start to give me a headache and make my face hurt. After plunging my face, I can immediately feel my skin tightening and my eyes feel brighter and less puffy. On days that I don’t do a face plunge, I’ll use my face roller that I keep in the freezer, concentrating on the area under my eyes. Then it’s on to a quick makeup routine to help me feel put together and ready for the day.
Water/Tea
When I get up in the morning, I am usually dehydrated from not drinking at all during the night. I’ll drink an 8oz glass of water to compensate and then I usually like to follow with a warm beverage, usually tea, for a cozy and slow start to my day. My current favorite teas are lemon ginger and vanilla chai. Lemon ginger has so many benefits to helping jumpstart the digestive tract. I usually add some honey and fresh lemon slices to enhance the flavor and benefits. A vanilla chai latte is my go-to when I’m looking for something sweeter, although I don’t drink it very often because it has a good amount of sugar that isn’t the greatest for starting off my day (but some days just call for it!). I like to use this recipe. Then, I take my tea and head out to my 3 season porch for some quiet prayer time.
Quiet Prayer Time
Finding time, even just 5 minutes, to pray quietly makes a huge difference in my mindset for the day. Child rearing and homeschooling feel like herculean tasks and I know that I cannot rely on my own strength to do them well. Each day I sit in a rocking chair with my warm tea and quiet my heart. I ask the Lord for guidance in whatever He is calling me to on this specific day and I try to keep my mind and heart open to my plans going awry. Focusing on the knowledge that God already knows exactly what will happen during my day, and the fact that it is all a part of His plan for us, helps me to accept whatever the day brings me. Finally, I practice gratitude for all He has blessed me with and I pray for any specific intentions I am needing help with. Placing all of these things before the Lord calms me and equips me for the day by clearing my head and putting my trust in Him. I know He will make my small offering enough to do His work.
A Good Breakfast
When I finish my prayer time, I head into the kitchen to prepare a good, hearty breakfast for myself and the kids. Since we have a flock of chickens, this usually means some form of eggs. I always prioritize protein and good carbs for breakfast to give me energy to last through our mornings. Smoothies, English muffins with peanut butter, protein-packed pancakes, and eggs with veggies and toast are in regular rotation around here. After breakfast, it’s off to morning chores and lessons with a full belly and a great attitude!
What would you add? What is your morning routine to prepare yourself for a successful homeschool day? How do you start your day right as a homeschool mama? Comment below!
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