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Parenting

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Original poster

How do you manage to get ready in the morning??

77 replies

redmimi · 31/01/2014 11:35

Starting to wonder if I'm expecting too much to have a shower and put a bit of make up on in the morning.

Dd is just 3 and ds 17 months and it seems impossible to look and feel anything but a dogs dinner most days. Getting a bit fed up of it. I'm not really vain but especially on work days when I have meetings I'd just like to feel nicer.

Ds sleep is so unpredictable that whatever time I set my alarm he scuppers my plans. I have tried showering in the evening but feel a bit of a scruff the next day and have horrible hair that needs washing.

More often or not I have a shower with ds emptying the bin, trying to get in the toilet etc...then have to try and dry my hair with ds sat on knee or screaming.

Dh often leaves at 6 so can't help but even if he is around always manages a peaceful shower.

I know there are much worse problems but has anyone got any tips or is this just how it is when you're a Mum? Feeling really frustrated. Thanks.

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Orangeanddemons · 31/01/2014 17:06

Neither would l. Sleep always overrides hair IMO.

AmethystMoon · 31/01/2014 17:12

I set my alarm for 5:15....so before anyone else wakes up. I shower and wash hair and do make up in peace

I also feel rough without a shower in the morning, we sweat a lot at night even though we don't feel sweaty IYSWIM. My hair looks awful if I don't wash and blow dry it and I have bad skin so need make up!

I tell myself it will get easier.....

Orangeanddemons · 31/01/2014 17:15

5.15. . That's the middle of the night!

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Alibabaandthe40nappies · 31/01/2014 17:15

5.15!

missymayhemsmum · 31/01/2014 17:18

Sort out everyone's clothes, bags and shoes the night before, so you can just step into a smart work outfit and dress the kids.
Showering in the morning is probably too much to ask for for a year or two - get yourself a haircut that responds well to a quick brush/ head under the tap to sort out the mad bits.
Make up bag, hairbrush and mirror in the kitchen/hall
leave your kids within earshot, holding a finger-breakfast and glued to c-beebies while you get ready (smallest strapped into highchair, biggest told that c-beebies goes off if you have to come in to intervene). Make it clear that it goes off at a specified time - after chuggington we have to put our shoes on.

Babywipes, lippy and hairbrush in the car in case you haven't managed to do it before you leave/have mysteriously got covered in jam again.

CouthyMow · 31/01/2014 17:18

5.15?!

AmIGoingMad · 31/01/2014 17:35

5.15?!?! I worry I'll need to do that when I go back to work but I think 6.00 will be my limit!

AmIGoingMad · 31/01/2014 17:39

Although I can see the benefit to a 5.15 get up with time to yourself to get yourself done before the madness begins!

Tailtwister · 31/01/2014 18:13

The only way we manage it is to work together (DH and I). Usually he gets up at 6 and prepares the DC's breakfast whilst I shower and dress. Then once I'm done he goes into the bathroom whilst I supervise the remaining breakfast and get the DC dressed. He takes DS1 to school and I take DS2 to nursery. I do work from home 99% of the time so I don't need to look smart or commute. On the days DH is away (very rare), it's pretty tough going but doable.

Although I work part-time I do have to be organised. I deal with DS1's bag as soon as he comes home and ensure everything is ready the night before. I have 2 week's worth of school uniform, so at any one time I have a complete week ready to go. Basically, if there's anything you can prep the night before do it (shoe polishing etc). I have a friend who even sets the breakfast table the night before so it's all ready to go in the morning.

Pigeonpair1 · 31/01/2014 19:26

Have to say, I am crazy and get up at 6am to have my shower and do hair/make-up in peace before they get up (have to get DS to catch school bus at 8am). I know I would be very shouty if I was trying to get myself ready as well as my two DC's. All my friends think I'm mad but it makes me feel IN CONTROL!!!!!!

Xmasbaby11 · 31/01/2014 19:39

See even preDC, I never had a shower in the morning as I'm not a morning person. Shower the night before is fine for me, then hair straightening and make up somewhere convenient, e.g. downstairs.

I guess you make a choice - very pared back beauty routine, or getting up at an insane hour to maintain current standards. I know which I'd go for ...

6tantrumsaday · 31/01/2014 19:51

I tend to make sure the DCs have all their bags packed the night before just to save time.
6am I get up and have a shower and dry my hair DS(3) tends to wake up at that time anyway plus I isn't dry during the night to he goes in the shower the same time as me.
7am the other DCs get up and I make them breakfast as they watch 30 minutes of tv.
7:30 the youngest two brush their teeth and wash their face then I get them ready whilst the oldest two come in after us and get themselves ready.
8:15 tends to be leave the house time.

I'll be honest it's usually mad chaos and involves a lot of me counting to 3 but it does get done in the end. Also when my youngest two were the same age as yours I used to take some toys for them into the bathroom then lock us all in. Then I would have a bath so I could interact with them a bit more and catch them before they did anything naughty

AmethystMoon · 31/01/2014 19:58

I won't mention that I sometimes get up at 4:30 to get into work early then

AmethystMoon · 31/01/2014 20:00

I'm with Pigeon, it is because it lets me feel in control. Although I am not a control freak you understand, oh no not me, no, no.

MrsOakenshield · 31/01/2014 20:25

on non-nursery days I get up early with DH so I am at least showered, and hopefully breakfasted, before DD gets up. But if that doesn't happen then I stick her in front of the television while I have a shower - that works fine too! But I know she'll be fine in front of the television, she'll barely move!

Work days DH up first, then me, then DD - she's not an early riser so we normally have to wake her.

MrsSnail · 31/01/2014 20:38

I'm with you amethyst Up at 5.20 every day. One of the bonuses is half seven at the weekend feels like a massive lie in

Newcurtainsplease · 31/01/2014 20:49

I thought I was the only person disgusting enough not to shower in the morning! I get myself sorted (straighten hair and make-up) in the bedroom whilst kids lay on the bed watching tv.

gail734 · 31/01/2014 21:05

Funny this thread should appear now, as just today a colleague asked me if if was ok, as I "looked a bit dishevelled". I felt really sorry for myself. I checked myself in the mirror: my hair was a bit ratty, bags under my eyes, blotchy complexion. Dd is 18 mo and I'm working full time. The secret of my "success" is that I get up before her, at 6.15 am. I make her breakfast and packed lunch, wash and dress ( no shower, bath the night before), lie out her clothes. Then I wake her, Weetabix in front of Nick Junior and then she'll sit in her high chair and have a drink while I potter about a bit. Then I wrestle her into her clothes and get her into the car. Drive to nursery then work. I used to wear sharp suits and full makeup to work. Now I wear a cardi and BB cream!

PavlovtheCat · 31/01/2014 22:26

If I have a shower, the kids end up in it with me, so that solves the 'what to do with them' issue

Another thing I do is go to the gym and get ready there (not often these days actually)

wineforthelady · 31/01/2014 22:40

I have three DC and have never ever not washed and properly dried my hair in the morning. When they were younger I used to take them down, give them breakfast then nip into the shower. I have the hair-dryer set up in the kitchen so I stand and dry my hair whilst they are in the next room so I can watch them.

Pixiepie · 31/01/2014 23:49

Its easy, shower at night. Have everything layed out the night before - kids and my clothes. The rule of thumb is dont do anything gor kids that they can do for themselves. Train them. It will free you to organise other things. While my kids are eating breakfast, I dress and get my make up on.

OhSoVintage · 01/02/2014 00:05

With great difficulty! So envious of the mums on the school run that I never see without a hair out of place when Im careering into the car park at the skin of my teeth looking like I've been dragged through a hedge backwards!

DasherDancer · 01/02/2014 06:04

I shower the night before and was had blowdry my hair, always.

If I'm working I'm up at 6. Pack the fresh part of lunches (I prepare most of our lunch the night before but some if it I do like to do fresh that morning. Then it's hair d

DasherDancer · 01/02/2014 06:08

Done (I wear it up with hair product if it's looking bad), makeup on and dressed before waking dd up at 6.45 for a quick breakfast, clothes and shoes on and out the door by 7.15 at the latest.

Dinosaurdrip · 01/02/2014 06:23

I get up at 5am, get ready in peace and go to work at 6.30. I leave DP to deal with the carnage that ensues at 6.30 when 3DC get up.

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