Transcript
Speaker: Hi, welcome to the Park Moms podcast where host Haley and Becca, this is a place where we laugh and chat about the chaotic bliss of raising young kids. So whether about to a pop mom walk or start a little laundry, let's get to yapping. Let's get to it. We still need like a little intro music. We're gonna work on that. Yeah, well, I'll sing something. It's our to-do list. I just got scared.
Speaker: what the skeleton head you have over there on the kitchen her island is like to the left of us yeah and i just looked over to like look at you and i saw it like behind your head was like this like homie it's very cute but it's like a skeleton face that literally freaked me out i have made that it's actually pretty cool someone made the shape for me out paper mache didn't your sister-in-law to yeah so i'm like i'm not really crafty but walker's actually telling me this today it's crazy it's 10 days to halloween Really? Yeah. It's like weird. I actually have my kids' costumes already planned because I was on top of it this year. I bought in September because I, i last year, like, was, like, stressed about getting the delivery done on online. And so I'm like, okay, I need to buy...
Speaker: early this year and so I did and then they've been using their costumes. Of course, of course. i just went to Costco and I was like, okay, here are your choices girls. You can be an Elsa, you can be a witch, you can be, I think there's like three other choices. What did you, what did end up being? We're doing Elsa, witch, and knight and Margo is being a little BYU cheerleader because we have to, that little cheerleading costume that we got her.
Speaker: My mom bought it, but it was like $65. I was like, she has to wear this yeah every day to make up the cost per Exactly, exactly. and We watched the BYU game, actually, which I'm like, we don't really follow BYU football, but we were with family who did, and it was such a fun game. It was so fun. also reminds me of like going to college there and having... um I know. Have we see how said that we both went to BYU? Have we said that on the podcast? I don't know.
Speaker: Yeah, we went to BYU. Go Kigs. Go Kigs. I think it's like, isn't it like something like that? Is that right? Is like, why? don't know. Ask me. I'm not the best alumni. You're not like a diehard, but do you know what decided? Now that we live in Utah County, because before we didn't, we just crossed the border from Salt Lake County to Utah County. True, true.
Speaker: Now I'm just like, do you know what? We're going to go full BYU. Like, we all wore outfits and... Oh my gosh. So you're a BYU fan now. Apparently. and they're doing really well this season and like I am nothing but like a bandwagon fan. Oh, exactly. For anything. Like if they weren't doing well, I'd probably like it. But it is like fun because like the kids go to school with the other kids that like love BYU so it's like they all get... There's like a camaraderie that is fun. We're still Ute fans but we want BYU to win when they're not playing the Utes. Okay, that makes sense. But like when they're playing the Utes, you're going to...
Speaker: We're going for the Utes. And I would say we, like, watched the Utes game. We never watched the Utes game. But when I watched the game, I'm like, this is fun. No, it was a very exciting game. do you know how much the tickets were? I think the cheapest one was $500, right? They were so expensive. Yeah. Wow.
Speaker: It'd be fun to be there. It would be fun to be there. But, it was like... just like the Dancing with the Stars lore, too. I know. I know. It's so cute. I didn't realize that... What's his name? Walker Lyons? Walker Lyons, yes. I know which Walker. But he transferred.
Speaker: oh he did? From USC. this could This could be fake news, by the way. don Don't come to us for this sport. This is not a sport information. But he transferred to BYU, which is fun because Riley, who he's dating from Dancing with the Stars, obviously is from Utah.
Speaker: So they're cute. They're cute. one last question about Halloween and then we'll jump into the life updates. My question about Halloween, are you a horror film girly? Do you know what? i used to love, love horror films. Like in college, that was my go-to with my friend Sam. We would order sushi and we would watch the scariest movie you could on Netflix. Now I cannot do it. I have become such a baby.
Speaker: I'm such a baby. I can have, like, a sci-fi thriller, but, like, actually scary. Not at all. But there has to be a whole market for it because I'm here watching ads for, ivo i don't pay for full Netflix. I use Netflix with ads. And there are all these horror films. And, like, people are going to them. There's movies. There's series. I'm like, oh there's a fan base. No, for sure. we went and saw The Odyssey, what was that, like, a month ago. And there was a, um what's it called? what are Words are hard. trail Trailer. There was a trailer. for like a scary movie called Mother or something. It was basically like it's terrible a mom who like had like, I don't even know.
Speaker: i literally had to close my eyes during the trailer, but it has stuck in my mind. I'm like, I didn't sign up to see this trailer of this scary movie. Like there's like a jumping scene where like there's like a... you know yeah and I literally like two nights ago I had to go make Margo a bottle at like 2 a.m and for some reason because in the trailer there's like a scary mom monster under the kitchen table yeah at 2 that vision jumped into my head oh my god of the scary thing and I'm like do you know what I I was and it like made me mad because I was scared and I ran back from the stairs like a baby yeah but I was like I didn't like
Speaker: voluntarily I mean, I guess I was going to see a rated R movie so they can like show whatever trailers they want, but I didn't voluntarily sign up to see that. So no, I do not like horror movies. And I think actually this is a bigger discussion.
Speaker: Maybe this is just like ah the mom I mean or I'm becoming a Karen. I don't like like all the scary things that my kids see yeah during Halloween time. like I love Halloween. I love decorating.
Speaker: But like some of the things on people's lawns, I'm like, really freaking scary. It is kind of a creepy holiday if you think about it. it's like Some people don't celebrate it. Really? Yeah. Because it's like...
Speaker: I know when I've worked in marketing for certain companies, if we had like a Halloween collection, we would reach out to influencers and be like, hey, like we'd love to send you this collection. They'd thanks so much for thinking of me, but like we actually don't celebrate Halloween. think it's also a religious thing. If you can lean into the fun parts of Halloween, it's a spot spooky. But no but i might get love the my kids love the, like decorated. No, have no, no, no. We were on a walk this morning with some girls in my neighborhood and we had three little boys that Graham, my son, had a sword and there was one of those huge skeletons. all the boys were whacking him with the sword and, like, playing with the skeleton. Like, they love that.
Speaker: But I feel like I've seen some things, like, maybe not in our neighborhoods, underneath. And that's where I'm, like, no, like, like a scary clown with, like, blood all over him. Like, that's actually spooky. That's, like, kind of, maybe we shouldn't be putting that out for just, like, anyone to see.
Speaker: that's just, like, the mom in me. She definitely is a Karen. I'm definitely a Karen. Like, can you not? My kids are scared. You knock on the door. Can you please take down your decorations? Yeah. I would never. I would never. But also just like, I don't know. You'd change. No, I think also that our kids, our oldest are six now.
Speaker: I think I am. i'm getting deep really fast into the podcast, but I'm starting to like their innocence kind of fleeting. Yeah, yeah Very quickly. Like I feel like I just had toddlers and all of a sudden like they're coming home from school and saying things and I'm like, where do where did you learn about that? Like, not even bad things. Like, for example, I, for family pictures, i wore, like, clip-in extensions, and I've never worn extensions. so My girls have no idea what extensions are.
Speaker: And as I'm getting ready, Elsie, my six-year-old, comes in, and she's like, are those extensions? And I was like, what? Like, how do you know about that? She's like, oh, like, someone at school told me about them. I was like, just, like, random little things where I'm like, yeah oh, you're, like, learning about real life things and they're having like outside influences and I think in the past few weeks I've been a little bit like oh my gosh I want to hold on to their innocence so it's probably going back to like that deeper feeling of just like wanting to protect them and keep them young it's so true and I feel that way with Colson too um actually my brother and sister-in-law they're like best parents like I literally look up to them so much one thing they said is they never like try to like take childish things away from their kids meaning like sometimes it's a little annoying at least to me when kids are like trying to like
Speaker: play pretend or like watch these like video games that are like really childish but they are kind of saying they lean into that and they let them be like as naive for as long as they can and they're like suck their thumbs forever exactly that's exactly what they do anyways it's just like I feel like like it's a cute sentiment but um Colson also I feel like too don't know this happened with Elsie but is like remembering things from like months ago like he's still pondering on things like it's like you make a mistake with your kids when they're little and they like forget and like literally never think about it again and like now like we're ingrained in him like Sam and him got in that car wreck and he like is so scared of Sam driving and he's like be careful slow down. My husband ran into like an animal up the... What kind animal was it again?
Speaker: I think it's called a bighorn sheep. It's like ah only in like the canyons but I didn't even know that was like... Yeah, there's like goats up there, deers there, and then big horn sheep. You've probably seen one before. It's like the... It really is like big horn. But anyways, he ran... He hit it and like literally just totaled the car. And so now Colson's so like anxious about it. And it's just funny because they don't move on from things as quickly. You know, like you said, the innocence is just bleeding. We're also just like moving into like a phase of like... We were in like the toddlerhood baby hunting. We still are with most of our kids. But we are like kind of...
Speaker: moving into this next phase and it is like a totally different style of parenting like you're not just like trying to keep them alive yeah and like trying to like fulfill their needs like you're trying to literally like create good humans and make sure that like they have a good and healthy and safe childhood. To be said at first, like, fast as, like, adults. Yes, which is actually one reason I'm kind of glad that I'm not working anymore because I feel like I have been able to be more, like, present in that. Yes, I can relate to that so much. it's actually, i feel like i have anxiety in life no matter what. And, like, when I was working, my anxiety Anxious girl. Yeah, just anxious girl. My anxiety was around work and now my anxiety is around my family. Like, my marriage, doing a good job of that, my kids, raising them in the right way. It's crazy how much time I have to think about it. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Speaker: Yeah, and like, I was more chill before though, for sure. Your anxiety has to go somewhere. Yeah, exactly. It just has to go somewhere. just have to, like, put it into something. But, like, I do feel like I've had more time because I'm not so stressed about work where I can be like, okay, they're having a hard time. I'm going like, focus on it and actually give the energy. Not that I wasn't before, but do you feel like I'm interested in what you're saying? And you just notice things a little bit more. Like, you're there for more moments. Yeah. You can be a little bit more intentional with the feel like that was a huge pull in me actually stopping.
Speaker: being working officially. I mean, I'm always doing something. That's the thing. People are like, do you have so much time? I'm like, no, because I'm crazy and I'm filling my time with a million different projects. Yeah. But like, just being able to actually focus on them. Oh my gosh, you guys, we were going to do a short episode and now I feel like we're not even getting into like the episode. Let's get into some life updates. This is good though. When you get us together, we can't stop talking. We were talking like 20 minutes before the episode. I'm like, we need to, we need to get it. Yeah, we were talking. I'm like, be quiet. No, stop. Save our book the podcast. We just don't want to talk about.
Speaker: Okay, you need to talk about this. This is a very, important information. about we're sitting on oh okay um this is just like a psa to the moms it's like if you have something on your to-do list you've been avoiding for like for this particular task for me i've been avoiding for years because it feels like too much work just do it um the example is my couch this couch i've had for like 10 years i've literally never taken off the cushion covers and washed them because it just felt like too hard because i'm like then i thought put them back on so i like use the stupid green machine and i tried to clean it that way And then this weekend I was like, you I'm just to see how hard it is to take these off.
Speaker: Super easy. Took less than an hour. Dried like that. And I'm like, I should have not been avoiding this my whole life. No, sometimes just like do the task instead of just stressing about it. And it's like taking up space in your brain. Just do it. And every time I'd see the couch because my dog would sit on it. be like, ew, looks so gross. I hate this couch. Now like, oh.
Speaker: I can just wash it now. It is very comfortable. um Okay, another PSA for the moms. And this will actually kind of go into the episode and because it's all about like being organized and helping create like a good morning routine. I'm using this AI app right now. I posted it on our stories, but I'll post it again. It's called Instinct. and Basically, it's a text app that connects to your Gmail, and it can read through your emails. i don't even know if you know that I i like i have no idea. You probably didn't see that I posted this. But if you post this... like Probably a week ago on a park month.
Speaker: I know, but how big is that? You can, it'll read through your emails and it will send you like a text of like what you need to know. So I like train mine every single night to give me like a weekly digest. And like, I don't get a ton of email stuff, but everything through my kids, schools and sports are usually through email. You're a mom in STEM. am like, it's so easy.
Speaker: You're I'll do like that. I'm so impressed. I'm like starstruck that you you're doing this. And I'll show you you make the text. It's so genius. And it literally texts me at night. Like it just barely texted me and was like, hey, you just got an email about the Halloween party. It's on this date. You need to do X, Y, Z. And then i can just text it back because it's connected to my Google and say also create a calendar invite for this. So I have to do all my calendar invites. So that's like it's attached like our skylight calendar. Yes.
Speaker: Anyway, your mom and stem. It's the same. It's the moms. No, you are hacking. You're hacking motherhood right now. Well, and like everyone's using this company right now. Like it's not specific to motherhood. But I've never heard of it. Yeah, it's pretty new. The nice thing about is it's through text. Because most AI, you have like go on to Chad ChubbT or go on to Claude. But it's nice. You can just text it. It can't read through your text, which would be like ideal scenario. Because it's like, who do I need to back to? Yeah, I was going to say that is what I need. Because I have maybe 700 under my text right now. But it would go through. all of your emails so like if you get anything through can you it so like it doesn't do anything with shopping updates it might doesn't have any shopping it and i didn't even make it do that it just does more like register for swim team that kind stuff oh my gosh here's your date and then it's nice like leading up to it like today when i saw the email i'm like oh i need to put this in my account and i'm like no and simple just text me or remind me and then i need to pay for it it's free you do have to have i'm paying for quad and chat right now like i'm paying like 50 a month you can only use one
Speaker: I know. We can't decide. They're both good for different things. But you don't have to pay for it. You do have to use a sign-up link. and You only get, like, ten free links. And I think I shared it on our stories, and they gave me ten more. So they all mind about you. So better sign up. Wait, send me one now. I'm sorry. I'll send you a link. I did, like, um I was sick last week, and i just had to, like, you know how I am. Yes. I retreat, and then I come back.
Speaker: And then night when I'm having a hard time, like, either mentally or I feel like I just need to like, focus on my family, I'm, like, I have to like literally physically bring myself. Yes. Just like make my everything smaller.
Speaker: And I'm bad at like reaching out or like replying to people or even like being on social media. And then i just have to take a little break and then I emerge. Yeah. Like a beautiful butterfly. It's good. You take the time to rest and recover as needed. Okay. Do you have any other life updates?
Speaker: Just that I've been sick. And like, what are we doing to not get sick? Because seriously, since the kids... have gone back to school. Yeah. I've had sinus infection to strep throat, back to sinus infection, like literally.
Speaker: And every time the kids get sick, I get it the worst out of everyone. Yeah. Camden never gets it. He gets like maybe like a little sample of it. Yeah. But I literally get sick every single time. Like what vitamin are we taking?
Speaker: What are we doing? i need to know because like I can't live my life like this. And I'm a Clean freak. Yeah. My kids come home. I spray hypochlorous acid on everything. I'm chloroxing things. And maybe that's my issue. Maybe I'm like not letting the germs germinate. Yeah. The way that they need to. Like me specifically, i don't know what's wrong with my immune system. Like you can still can hear it in my voice.
Speaker: I have been sick since the kids went back to school. Yeah. um I have no advice for you because I feel like we're kind of the same. And whatever our sicknesses are going around, they're like lingering. They're not like, yes you get it. It's like they linger forever basically until you're sick again, I feel like. That's what I'm saying. I've been sick back to back to back to back. So if anyone has some like special, I will do anything at this point. Like any remedy, meditation, woo-woo, shiz that I need to do, i will do it.
Speaker: I feel like sleep is probably the main thing. Okay, eight hours. yeah was Like that, I can't And Camden's like, I think you just get sick because you're always stressed. And I'm like, I'm not stressed. And he's like, o I think that does affect your immune system for sure. as It does. And I do. But anyways, that's just like my biggest thing. um Okay.
Speaker: Today, we are we ready to get into the episode? Yeah. selfishly, i wanted to record on this because it is something that I needed to work on. So i knew that if we were recording on it, I would do the research yeah so that I could get into this. And that is having a better morning routine before the kids go to school and getting everyone ready and out the door. And this is something that I feel like is causing so much stress in like yeah our day-to-day life.
Speaker: I don't know if you're feeling this way, but I feel like we need a full like morning reboot because Something needs to change. Yeah. I also feel like we just had fall break and then also daylight savings is coming up. And so now's the best time. Yes. Now's the best time. Okay. What does your morning or routine look like right now?
Speaker: Okay. I will be honest. I feel like I'm in like thick of newborn phase. So like this not only do I not have a morning routine, I may not even be putting in the new habits yet, but I'll, I'll give my two cents of what I've done in the past. Um, cause right now my husband Sam is like handling the morning routine, which is kind of nice. So nice. I have to take the kids to school if he ever has, like, an early meeting, which happens, like, here and there, but it's pretty infrequent. um So, for the most part, he'll, like, get the kids up, get them showered, get them breakfast, and then take them to school, and I'll, like, just hang with, like, my two-year-old and our baby. And then we don't get up till, like, nine. so You know what? We did that for a really long time. I feel like now that Margo's nine months postpartum, now it's, like, more of a team effort. But Kim has handled it. Like...
Speaker: And there were days where my girls went to school with like their hair not really done or like it was kind of more chaotic getting out the door. But I do feel like I am in a season of life where I'm like, OK, I need to buck up yeah and like get my shit together.
Speaker: because it is affecting like the whole family. And that was my biggest thing that I realized this morning is when I was doing research for this, like i was like, do you know what? We're having really hard mornings. And the more research I did, the more I realized I'm the problem. Yes. I am the problem. Like it was one of those moments where it like, am i the drama? Yes. Is it me? Am i the drama? And it was me because I realized this morning, because two days ago i slept in, Camden did the whole morning routine. yeah You sleep in, like you're not really feeling well.
Speaker: And things went smoothly this morning. Everyone's crying and I'm really now it's like I am bringing the drama because I'm grumpy. Yeah, you come up you come up. What's it called? No, I just like I'm the blaze. I'm not. a Yeah, I'm not a morning person. I'm like getting frustrated. I'm like, no, you can't wear those shoes. They don't match with your dress. And Camden's like, it's not that big of a deal. Just like let them wear them. And they let more things go like even their hair being done. Like I feel like we're like probably more so on like doing breakfast and he was like, oh, just eat a good to go bar in the car. that thiss Yes. Okay. So my morning routine right now, literally everyone's crying. I'm grumpy. We're waking up like 10 minutes before we have to leave.
Speaker: And it's just like not a great way to set the tone for the morning. And we have kids that are now going to school for the better half, like most of the day. Yeah. And they have to regulate their emotions. This is what I realized is like, I'm an adult. Yeah.
Speaker: I'm an adult and they are kids and they have to regulate their emotions at school all day. And it is my job. to set them up for success for that. And to do that, I need to emotionally regulate myself so that they feel like they can emotionally regulate before they go to school. Okay, you're like, inspiring me right now. I completely agree. No, but this is like, this was my like, literally like, come to Jesus in moment where I was like, this is on me. Like, as their mom, it is my job. And actually, the reason that I got inspired to do this whole episode was probably like two months ago, and I'll link this TikTok, there was a girl who was like, listen,
Speaker: I have four kids. This is what I do in the morning to make it run smoother. And it really has, and I have implemented some of these things, but what she said is she wakes up 10 minutes before kids, she brushes her teeth, she puts her eye patches on. so I just realized like it's my job yeah to set the tone for the morning. And so this is something that I need to work on. And then I do feel like everyone else will run smoother. And I also had to swallow the pill that this is just like not the season of life for slow mornings. yeah Like I am not a morning person. So I love a slow morning but the reality is that that is just like not realistic yeah when you have four little kids to get out the door before 8 a.m. like it's just not gonna happen and we'll have a time and season of slow mornings yes but right now it's not it and like so I had to swallow the pill that I'm the drama and that we're probably not gonna have slow mornings yeah what time do your kids wake up if so we need to leave the house by 8 and they probably wake up like 7 30 oh which like isn't a lot of time especially with girls having to do their hair
Speaker: But, okay, I did a lot of research and this is kind of like we had to like pull it back to the day before. So yeah this is the advice I found. And this is another TikTok and I'll also share this creator.
Speaker: But she, i this like is a video that resonated with me so much. Yeah. And it is about this idea of not staying up too late the night before. And we know this. Yeah. We know this as moms that we shouldn't be doing this. But the way that she, and I'm going link it because I'm going to completely butcher how she talked about it.
Speaker: But she basically said that like when you're staying up late, you are sabotaging the next day. But as moms, we feel like we need to stay up late because we need to fill back up our cup. Yeah. Because all day we're doing things for our kids and we're feeling like we're never doing anything for ourselves. So she said the way that she has like solved this for herself is she does. this thing called satisfaction dosing. Okay. I love this. I like, I'm obsessed with this idea.
Speaker: Whereas like, instead of waiting for her kids to go to sleep, to do the things that she wants to do to fill back her up her cup, she's finding ways to do that throughout the day. So she's like, a simple as ah example is like, if I'm going to the park, I'm going to bring my Kindle and I'm going read a chapter while my kids are playing at the park. yeah That's something that she's able to do for herself, like during the day. Or she's like, my husband gets off work. I take 30 minutes. I'm going on a walk around the neighborhood. So I feel like I don't have to like,
Speaker: have that satisfaction of filling up my cup after my kids go to sleep yeah so that when your kids go to sleep, you actually already feel like your cup is full and you don't have to stay up till midnight, 1am watching trash reality TV to fill back up your cup and sabotage the next day. so like, this is, this is what I'm saying. Like we're going way back. Like i know we're talking about mornings, but really I think it starts the day before yeah of like taking care of yourself as a mom and having, I just like love this idea and this wording of, what did I call it? Satisfaction dosing. Yeah. To get that satisfaction. and so like if anyone has ideas, like i don't know, is there something that you do during the day where you're like, this makes me feel like I did something for myself that you're able to do as a mom?
Speaker: Yeah. I would say for me right now, i like make my own breakfast for myself, which I know that sounds super like no that's a classic need i everyone should be doing that but the kids eat and then like all make something and like actually sit down and eat and like make a coffee with it and I feel like it's like something where I can relax in the morning yeah and it's like the food that I want like it's not pancakes and stuff like that and so that's one thing that I do throughout the day where I'm like okay this is like something I look forward to from the night before there's also another creator I'm like referencing so many creators but I really think it's like awesome that there's so many mom creators there that are actually sharing like
Speaker: logistical advice for us to enjoy motherhood and not just like serve survive motherhood but actually enjoy it and I'll tag her but she talks about what is it like luxury she talks about like little luxury things that she has for herself in the morning that make her feel like she's not just like surviving motherhood and it was such a simple thing like she wakes up and she puts on her like really nice slippers that feel super luxurious to her she goes down she makes like a coffee with her nice espresso machine. And like, not that things have to be like, luxury can be and array of things. Like it doesn't have to literally be an expensive item. But she was like, these like little things are like putting on her eye patches. She's like, just make me feel like I'm an actual human taking care of myself.
Speaker: Yeah, because the opposite is you're like hopping out of bed and you're literally rushed and you have anxiety. But I agree with like starting the night And can't brush your teeth. Yes. And I think even with your kids starting the night before, like make sure homework's done the night before. Make sure they're going to bed on time so you do end up getting a little bit of time before you go to bed. Yeah. Like setting out the outfits the night before. Yeah. So we have this. Okay, so I have the view and have a list.
Speaker: Okay, let's start with the... But one more thing that I'm just going to say that, like, made me want to change. Because if you're, like, you're in the newborn phase, so, like, you just need to survive right now. If you're feeling more like me, like, you want to do something to change your morning, these are the things that were just, like, were, like, light bulb I need to change. The other, like, light bulb moment was, like, what do we want our kids to remember about our mornings? Like, when they grow up, do they want to be like, oh, yeah, like, our mornings were so chaotic? Or do they want to remember, like, coming downstairs and there's, like, music playing and your mom's, like, making coffee and getting, like, lunches ready and, like, your mom is in a good mood? Like, that's what I want my kids to remember. I don't want my kids to remember me being, like...
Speaker: stop fighting what are you doing get your shoes on why aren't you dressed yet like that is what my kids are gonna remember right now and that is like so sad to me so like that's why I wanted to record this episode because like truly this is something I need to change yeah and I am to all of our listeners and to you i am like going to do it yes and I'm committing I'm committing okay so we had some really good submissions so we're gonna start there yeah and then I kind of like wrote an outline of like just like different things and like actual tangible tips that we can go through perfect um do you to read the submissions okay or just a few of them we had so many and also by the way like when you guys do submissions it is so nice like mean so much because we get so excited it's weird like that we honestly want your opinion just as much as because we're just two people like we don't know everything or really anything and so getting other people's input is so nice um okay prep everything you can the night before make you to bet a little later but it's so worth it i agree we pick and set out the outlet for the next morning even shoes and hair accessories okay so those are kind of similar
Speaker: Hate to say it, but the skylight has helped us stay on task with morning routines. Okay, but you said you haven't been using your skylight enough. I honestly might return it, but I don't know if I'm using it correctly yet because I haven't started doing the like chore chart. Okay, shout out. We actually switched from a skylight, which I think is great, to the hearth calendar. hearth calendar Yeah. It's bigger and I feel like it's more kid-friendly to do their actual routines. Like, Graham, he's three. He's able to like knock things off his list there's like yeah stars that come up like the hearth calendar works better for our family so if you're looking yeah and a different brand it's a different brand yeah if you're looking at like an organizational calendar look at both skylight and the hearth because i do think that that one just like works better for our family okay This is good. Do everything 20 minutes sooner than you originally thought. I really feel that with a newborn. Like, I'm starting my routine to get out the door like 45 minutes early. Especially with breastfeeding.
Speaker: It's too much. Okay. Okay, this is a cute one. Start a mom walk crew to go walking at 6 to 7. It's been a game changer for me. I'm not there yet. Early. know. Can you imagine how much?
Speaker: I know did use to... Okay, I hate Ronnie. I'm just going to preface that, but I did train for a half marathon because it was in honor of my husband's friend who passed away. And I will say, getting up and running in the morning did help me so much when I got home. Because I already had done for something for myself. I had cleared my mind in the morning. I had had to get, like, six, which sucked. And, like, getting out of bed was hard. But had come home and I was, like, such a better person. Okay, but that just goes back to, like, not sabotaging your day the night before. Like, go to bed. Yeah. Like, go to bed. Go to bed. Go to bed.
Speaker: It's like, you go to bed. Okay, snack or water bottle if they have it. um If they're taking it to school, have it in their bag the night before. i feel like it goes for lunches too. Packing lunches. do the Have your kids pack them night before. We actually pack lunches during dinner time or right after dinner time and our kids do it with us.
Speaker: So that they know what's in their lunches. And then we just like put it in the fridge and it's ready to go. Yes. Okay. This is a good one. Socks and shoes ready to go by the door. This is Chan with the moms or Chan with the boys. I mean, has Chan with the moms. chin with the mean recommended like putting a bucket of socks of all the same socks. Yes. By the door. We did it this year and it's so much better because it's not like, where are the socks? Do they match? Are they matching socks? Nope. It's literally one bucket and I don't have to fold socks in anymore. Yeah. Do you know start doing though Because we have multiple shoes. And this little different because you have boys and I have girls. But don't know your boys are particular about this. My girls, every morning, go, what shoes are going to look best with my outfit? And luckily, we have uniforms, so we don't have to go through that whole outfit drama. Like, it's pretty cut and dry what they can wear. so I feel like their shoes, there's, like, a lot of pressure on their shoes. So this morning, they're like, want the silver shoes. No, I want the pink shoes. No, I want the flower shoes. I think the night before to have them like choose their shoes and put their socks literally in their shoes by my door. Yep. Like anything we can. Like I want it to be, remember those TikToks where it was like, um, you know how like firefighters yeah had like everything set out yes and it was like, we're going to turn them into firefighters. Literally I'm going to run my house because I feel like the more you have set up, the more like calm and slow your morning can be. Can you start a series for us?
Speaker: turning my house into a fired um fire department. or like a fire We have friends that are firefighters, so have them come over and give us tips. That's perfect. And I i completely agree. Okay. and Lay out all the clothes the night before, the shoes by the door, pre-make PB&Js. Oh, i take I've heard this one. Pre-make PB&Js and Nutella sandwiches. you basically keep them in the freezer so you can just grab them. Basically pre-make the sandwiches. And like you you said, you let them chew out like the snacks and have to put in for the day.
Speaker: um I usually have to get Sylvia dressed while she's in bed, which this sucks, but it's the only way that wakes her up slow enough. My kids don't have that problem when they too early. Yeah. But that's actually not a bad idea. Like, just get them dressed. That's how you basically wake them dressed.
Speaker: a Okay. When they sit down, I set a timer for how much time they go. Have left. This is good. And I have a pair of caddies, so I just bring it out and start getting it like they eat breakfast. If you are a girl mom, I will say getting their hair done is the bane of my existence in the morning like it is so hard and I shared this tip on our Instagram but my girl's hair is just like very th thinh fine thanks fine for thin fine and thin so like when they sleep I'm not kidding it is like so matted yeah like the amount of stuff I have to put in it to like brush it is crazy so I've been after they take baths or showers at night I've been brushing through it putting in a loose braid so in the morning it's not so hard to brush through and that actually has been like a game changer
Speaker: I don't have like the girl hair yet. And so like that's, I mean, I have to like just wet walkers hair. No, the way I would dream to just do that. I mean, I think it's going to be a whole new thing for me. We have to eventually do that. Um, actually a lot of people who had girls commented on hair. Actually, one of the girls said use the ultra wonder daily mist by Aussie for hair for girls. It's like the best. So we should look that up and look it.
Speaker: um Okay, another idea is you have cubbies for their clothes for each day of the week. So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. they set out for the whole week. Yeah, I think especially we do uniforms and so it's so easy yeah to like for them.
Speaker: It's basically like, are you to pants? Are you going wear a skirt? Are you going to wear... long sleeve, you're going to wear short sleeve. Like, it's so easy. But I think if you do have not uniforms doing, sending out, like, it's really not that many outfits. It's five outfits for a whole week.
Speaker: And, like, labeling it. I've seen those, like, stacking labels that you can literally have, like, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. That is a really good idea. Do you get your kids dressed before they eat? Yes. So do I. But she's saying don't because then they can get messy. I'm like, it's actually a valid weight. Yeah. I feel like my girl's, like...
Speaker: Yeah, no, that's true. They do get messy sometimes. I feel like the only way to do that, though, really wake up the whole family earlier. Like, you need to wake up earlier at, like, 6.30, have breakfast ready by 7, get them up, and then they can, like, eat in their pajamas. They need a slow morning. That's the thing. They need a slow morning. Yeah. We should try that. we need to do what we can to give them a slow morning. Yes. The one last thing is people said no screens before school, which, honestly, we're not great at this because our kids wake up early, and so they'll, like, go sneak the TV or sneak the switch down and even realize that they have it. So we just need to hide it and do a better job at that. But it changes their mood so much. It does. And do you know what When I actually saw this tip of like no screens before school, i actually internalized this as like, I need to not go on my phone.
Speaker: Like wake up and go on my phone sometimes and then I'm getting distracted by emails and the texts that I got while I was asleep or like things that i missed the night before. i am not going to go on my phone.
Speaker: until I get my kids to school. Also, if you did that instinct AI app thing, it will text you the night before so you would have everything you need for the morning. like Yes. Hey, this is great day tomorrow or when, when Wednesday or whatever. There's no reason that I need to be on my phone between like 7 and 8 a.m. Like there just isn't. There like isn't anything I need to be doing. And so I'm like, I'm just starting for burn. Just kidding.
Speaker: Actually, that's so true. Every morning, the gym that we go to, you have to like sign up because the kids care and every morning Becca's like signed up and I'm like, well, I didn't get on. I'm on the wait list again because I didn't feel get up. I know. But, um, okay. Something though that like really resonated with me.
Speaker: Is that there was another creator, and I keep like referencing this because I was doing a lot of research, is she said that she never wants her kids to wake up to a house that's not ah a world that's not awake. She basically said, like, i want my kids to wake up to a world that's awake. Yeah. what she does is she wakes up 10 minutes. Did already talk about this? No.
Speaker: She wakes up 10 minutes before her kids wake up. She puts on, I think I already said this, but she puts on her eye patches, her robe. She brushes her teeth. Cause like, I can't even tell you, like most days I'm not brushing my teeth until I drop my kids off and I come them home from school. Like yeah you need to take care of yourself. So she's like the bare minimum. I'm waking up, brushing my teeth, putting on my eye patches, going downstairs, putting on some like Teddy swims or some like, um, just like chill, like vibey music, lighting a candle. And she's like, and I'm like,
Speaker: Turning on the lights, dim lights, so that my kids, when they come downstairs, they're, like, coming down to a world that's awake. Yeah. And actually, like, love my mom to death, love my parents to death. They are, I'm not warning people because of them. I also did early morning seminary.
Speaker: oh So I had to wake up so early. So I was waking up to a house that was asleep and I can't even tell you. And like, I do not blame my mom for that because it was literally 5 a.m. m and was No one should be awake at that time of day. Like, it is hard to wake up to a house that's not awake. And there are mornings where like, this morning, Blair was like,
Speaker: mom, I'm so tired. And I was like, do you know what? Like, I'm tired too. And like, that's okay. But we're just going to like make it a great day. And like, what can we do right now to like wake us up? Yeah. And sometimes that's like a little dance party or like listening to music or like, what do you want for breakfast? Like there's so many little things that you can do.
Speaker: well it's really inspiring, like how you're kind of explaining and how these creators are explaining. Cause like as a kid, you're either coming up the stairs to like let's go get your clothes i'm writing your shoes on but butt or you're coming up to like music and food and breakfast like good morning like how are you doing logistical things are in this i wrote this down because i felt like it was so powerful but connect with your kids before giving instructions which i love this idea like instead of just like walking and being like get up get dressed make your bed brush your teeth like going and just like another one what is that Club. Bus. The other club for that one. Is that what you're talking about? But, like, going in, and I have been trying to do this, and just, like, giving them a hug or, like, rubbing their back and being like, hi, like, how do you sleep? Instead of just, like, wake up, get dressed, let's go. Yeah. And I think that is from waking up yourself, taking care of yourself, and getting in the right headspace to be the emotional regulation for your kids before they have to go to school. And this is just, like, something I am going to work on, and I'm, like, so ready to work on because, like,
Speaker: what do they say? Mom set the temperature of the house, which is so true. Like if I'm in a bad mood, my kids are going to be in a bad mood. And if I'm, if they're already in a bad mood and I'm in a good mood, can usually turn their mood around. Yeah. So like I need emotionally regulate. So I am going to try some of these things and I will back. Yeah, tell one that you're going to like I think I'm going try to wake up before my kids Okay. feel like I'm change wake all my kids and I'm going to set out my clothes the night before. Yeah. Like, not just set out their clothes, but, like, yes quick rapid fire logistical things.
Speaker: Set their clothes out the night before. Have breakfast planned. Like, what are we making for breakfast? Even, like, we make a big batch of pancakes and just keep them yeah in the fridge. for Or we do, like, breakfast muffins a lot. Like, yeah have it planned. Have their lunches made. Have clothes set out. Have the house clean. Have, like, maybe, like, even, like...
Speaker: I would think I'm going create like a morning playlist that we always play on Alexa. I'm going to like go get a yummy fall candle and like go downstairs and like just do things that I can do to be in the right headspace to help them be in the right headspace. Yeah. And it's obviously going more effort, but like I feel like Less chaos too. No, and I want you to keep me accountable. Like next time we record, I want you be like okay, how are your mornings going? Like, are you having good morning routines? And like, I think too, sometimes I'm very much this way where it's like, I'll do something really well for a week and then I'll like fall off one day and then I'll be I'm not doing that anymore. Like,
Speaker: If I take a day off and sleep in, I'm not going to be like, okay, well, now I'm just not going it anymore. Like, I'm just going to jump back into it. Yes. And get back into it. And let us know if you find any, like, things to cheat as well. Like, buy the Uncrustables from Costco. Oh, we buy the Uncrustables from Costco. Or, you know, putting all the socks in bins. Like, we'll try to give you some, like, shortcuts to get there today. Yeah, especially because we're going into winter and, like, waking up in the wintertime is...
Speaker: The worst. So hard. So I feel like I like idea like putting out like cozy slippers and jammies though and like getting a hot drink. Just know you are like vibing. Yes. It's all the vibe. Like a motherhood. Motherhood is just like branding and creating vibe. Yeah. Like really that's just like what you need to do to have like for you to enjoy it for your kids to enjoy it. Yeah.
Speaker: But yeah I want instill these habits now. because I feel like it's still like semi-warm outside but like you said we're gonna hit daylight savings it's gonna be harder to wake up and so like I feel like I need to get this really solid foundation and i will let you know how it goes but like this is something that I'm really excited to do a better job at because I feel like our days will go better yeah and I feel more confident like sending my girls to school after having a peaceful morning than just like a chaotic morning because they have a long day ahead of them. I completely agree. I love it. And then I feel like part two of this episode should be like the three to five shift, like from pickup to dinner. How do you Literally? No, literally that is the next thing. So anyways, if you listen to this and you have any like other thoughts or things that came up while we were talking, please comment, whether it's like on YouTube or one of our Instagram clips, because
Speaker: As moms, we need to stick together. we need to help each other out. But that was our episode. do you have anything else to add? Nope. Okay. well Bye, guys. Bye.
