Waking Up For My Family

Waking up for my family instead of waking up to my family.

A friend posted this quote on Facebook, and I’ve thought about it many times since. You know, my days start out much better when I wake up before everyone and prepare my mind, and heart, for the day ahead. I am better equipped to handle the ins and outs of parenting and homeschooling. I am usually able to accomplish more of the housework. I don’t feel nearly as beat down by the end of the day.

I think the biggest improvement I could make on this habit, would be to spend my morning time (or part of it) reading scripture or praying. That’s not a habit that I’m very good at. I usually spend the morning time writing, editing pictures, or playing on FB. Sometimes I start my cleaning, or breakfast, but usually, it’s me time. Time that I do what I want, without anyone looking over my shoulder, asking a bajillion and one questions. I just indulge. I write. I decompress my brain and put my thoughts on paper.

As we are growing together as a family and also as individuals, I’ve learned something valuable about the kids, too. When I wake them up, and have them get dressed in “day clothes”, get them started on chores and breakfast, then school just happens almost naturally. I have a tendency to let the kids sleep in, and waste time in the morning. Then, school starts late, with a fight, and our whole day seems to crumble.

The days are often long, and sometimes I question my ability as a parent and teacher. So, when I find something positive, that works and improves things for all of us, I try to hold on to it. It is easy to feel like the battles are never ending and the victories are far apart. The idea and practice of waking up for them, and getting ready for the day, seems to very often come with a sense of victory.

When I wake up to them, and they are jumping on me, tackling me, waking me up when I don’t want them to, then I am a grouch. And when Momma’s a grouch, everyone else quickly turns into a grouch, too. Which is very bad. Very very bad. When we are a houseful of grouchiness, everyone starts bickering and fighting and Momma begins hair-pulling-out. Watch out then!

Conclusion: I’ll get up first and try to keep the score for positive days higher than the score for negative days.

What habit helps you start your day off right and end your day strong?