Are mornings stressful in your house (if you have young kids)?

[Fedupcyclist]

Feel like mornings are stressful & I am constantly telling my 3 year old to stop this or that, get ready. I feel like a nasty mum

Like this morning she desperately wanted to do crafts but we needed to get ready for preschool and I ended up getting a bit annoyed.

I work but am lucky to be WFH at the moment so it’s not like we need to leave super early, but I do have a job to get on with!

Doesn’t help that DH is out the house early so it’s just me and DC in the mornings.

Anyone else feel like mornings are stressful and you are constantly nagging DC? Is this just the reality of life with young kids? Or am I doing it wrong?

Should add that I do pack bags, get clothes ready the night before

I think setting out expectations massively helps, for a 3 year old you can use a photo chart so they know what the next thing to be doing will be. They use these in schools on the board so they know what is happening after lunch or after break, even for 9 year olds.

Have the same routine every day that they attend. Try to keep your voice calm, raised voices or exasperation adds to the energy levels. Also try the positive approach, no negatives ie rather than no, stop that, try we need to get dressed for preschool or it is time to put our shoes on etc.

No not overly- but my eldest (4) has always been quite good with rules- mostly that’s luck. I think it marginally helps that I lay out plans the day before and the morning of reiterate:
After breakfast we are going to do our teeth and get ready.
I also don’t leave time to get restless, straight after food is teeth clean, face wash etc- if she goes to the sofa after breakfast then it’s more of a battle- it becomes one task so less individual battles.

Not anymore but it was when they were 3. Children don't have the same concept of time as us at all.
I have to be super strict with mine and we had tears this morning (jumper was itchy - primary school)

But at 3 I would be strick and don't worry about being nasty. Maybe do the crafts when she gets home.

I used to get up earlier than I needed to to get ready before I had to deal with the kids. DH was out of the house pre 7am at the time.

I wouldn't even consider the notion of craft before pre-school. Give her breakfast and get her dressed, CBeebies.

Yes. None of us are morning people and the dc have to be nagged to get out of bed, get dressed etc. I dress the 7 year old while he is still half asleep. He will get back into bed if I stop to help the 8 year old with his buttons or tie.

You’re not alone. Every household with kids is chaos in the morning, I know mines is for sure. I almost always feel extreme guilt once DC goes to school because 3/5 days we bicker and argue about something or the other. Whether it be about getting dressed or hurrying up with breakfast. It’s a battlefield.