💭 Intro:
There was a time when every morning started the same way.
Rush.
Resistance.
Reminders.
Me snapping.
My toddler crying.
And both of us feeling emotionally drained — before 9 AM.
I hated how it made me feel.
Like I was parenting from the outside-in — just reacting, correcting, rushing.
Then, I made one small change.
Not a Pinterest-perfect routine.
Just a 10-minute shift. And it changed everything.
⏱️ The First 10 Minutes Rule
I realized my son wasn’t the problem.
It was the pace we were stuck in.
I began a simple rule:
The first 10 minutes of the day belong to connection, not correction.
Here’s what that looked like:
💡 What I Actually Did
1. I started waking up 10 minutes earlier
Not for work.
Not to clean.
Just to center myself — drink water, breathe, stretch. No phone. No agenda.
This gave me space to enter his world gently, not urgently.
2. I dropped the checklist voice
Instead of “We need to go. Hurry up!”
I shifted to playful choices:
“Shall we begin our morning with socks or breakfast?”
“Can you tiptoe like a cat to the bathroom?”
“Let’s race the sun to get ready!”
It made transitions smoother — because he felt included, not commanded.
3. I chose presence over productivity
I stopped trying to multitask (replying to messages, tidying)
during those first few minutes.
Instead, I sat with him.
Made eye contact.
Matched his pace.
It cost me 10 minutes.
But bought us peace for the next 10 hours.
📌 What Changed?
- Fewer tantrums before school
- I yelled less — because I didn’t start the day already frazzled
- He actually started reminding me about shoes or water bottles
- And I no longer felt like a terrible mom by 8:30 AM
🖍️ Why This Works
Toddlers don’t understand clocks.
But they deeply understand energy.
When we start the day with connection, they feel safe and seen.
That’s when cooperation becomes possible.
✨ A Simple Reminder
You don’t need a morning routine that looks good online.
You need one that feels good in your heart.
💬 Let’s Talk
What’s your biggest morning struggle right now?
Drop it in the comments — I’d love to offer ideas that are realistic and guilt-free.
And if you want the exact phrases and checklist I use in our morning —
📩 Drop your email or check out [my Substack here]!
Code & Crayons 