Wondering how people manage in the mornings with toddlers?

[Ablackcat]

I’m sure there’s an easier way but at the moment I brush my teeth with a very small child hanging off my legs or trying to grab the toothbrush out of my mouth then shower with a small child banging on the door, dress with a very small child bringing me one toy after another while I say ‘Lovely!’ Dry my hair with a small child trying to grab my hairbrush then go downstairs (finally!)

Im not really looking for advice on how to change what I do in the morning (I mean I know some people shower in the evening etc) but is there an easier way I am missing or is this totally normal?

Playpen?

This was normal for us! She grew out of it but still somehow always finds something urgent to tell me (such as ‘I just finished drawing a penguin’) when I’m in the bath…

Put them in. Their high chair with the tv on

Wash your hair in the evenings, do everything else with a small person on your ankles.

By not having a job.

We all brush our teeth together tbh, I put them in their bedroom with the baby gate closed but door open when I'm washing. If not then they wash with me too
Bloody draining with toddlers isn't it haha

But you’re upstairs @cinq and I’m not sure mine would be happy about being strapped down for forty minutes or so!

I use CBeebies

Do this, repeat silently on your head the mantra 'this is just a phase' and carry on?

My kids are now old enough that my morning routine is getting ready while my kids are nowhere to be seen, as I punctuate my activities with yelling 'come on, get dressed!' down the corridor, only to find once I am completely ready that they are still playing in PJ's.... this too may be you some day!

Shower in the evenings. Hair in a pony tail. Do make up in the car in nursery car park after drop off, Find her a spare soft toothbrush to keep on side. Let her 'brush' her teeth like Mummy with that if stops her grabbing yours.

Stick them in their cot with a load of toys. Get ready quickly.

Normal. I just look a lot scruffier than I did before children because I cba doing hair and makeup while battling a small child who wants to nick the lipstick or pretend to be a cat.

I plug her into a lot of TV while I’m getting ready.

Son in highchair watching TV. I literally get dressed very fast, brush teeth, use deodorant, wash face, out sunscreen on, put hair in pony tail - ready. Takes less than 10 mins.

I wash at night I don't have time in the morning unless I get up before him.

Simple answer is no I don’t take 40 mins to get ready in the morning, I spend that time with the kids. So hair wash always at night! Everything else is 10 mins max.

Quick shower while they play in their room, then downstairs for breakfast. You dry your hair and put in makeup downstairs while they eat.

Oh this sounds familiar. I have a gate on the toddler's (2 years 9 months) bedroom door which I leave closed whilst I go for a quick shower and do my make up. Toddler is usually happy to play in his room by himself for 20 mins. We brush our teeth together. I usually let my hair air dry unless I need to style it, in which case I use the hair dryer and alternate drying my hair and using it on the toddler (he likes the air and it makes him laugh). If we have to be out early in the morning, I shower the night before.

The easier way is what you don't want advice on - do most of it the night before while DC are in bed, or get up earlier and do it all while they're still sleep.

Maybe it’s aGe dependent / my child is a terror (probably) no way he’d stay in his room or watch TV downstairs.

I know others do it differently but I really don’t feel particularly fresh or whatever if I don’t shower in the morning and my hair gets really limp and horrible (I’m obviously not saying this is the case for everybody!)

I think this is normal. I don’t think many toddlers would be happy to entertain themselves alone for 40 minutes. My toddler wouldn’t want to be strapped into a high chair with the tv on either, but I’m sure some would tolerate this happily. If you don’t want to change things then remind yourself it’s just a phase. If you do, but you don’t want to shower the night before then get up before toddler.

I get up before my toddler to shower, dry my hair while she watches CBeebies, downstairs for breakfast, brush our teeth together (encourages her to brush her own teeth) & then get her dressed

It's easy with careful planning, and the use of wall charts...ha ha ha, just kidding! No, totally normal. My two are now 8 and 10, and I still get regularly interrupted whilst in the shower (only one bathroom). It gets better though!

@AliceW89 definitely, it’s manageable - I just wondered if there was a miracle solution but there isn’t of course apart from exchanging toddler for a more docile model!

I always set my alarm so I could get up before Dts did

Where is Dad in this?
Not asked to be snarky but could he be entertaining and hearing about the penguin whilst you get ready?

How old is your toddler, is there anyone else in the household, what time are waking/showering etc, what time do you need to be ready and out?