Not a Morning Person?

Does this look familiar to you? If so, then your child probably isn't a morning person. How can you tell? Does your child wake up crying, cranky and grumpy on a daily basis? Then he/she isn't a morning person. As a mother who is "not a morning person" and the mother of a child who is "not a morning person"(California gets it from me), this is often a challenging dichotomy.

I have a few soul centered tips to help mornings go more smoothly:

1. CUDDLE: Instead of going straight to the table to eat breakfast, get a blanket and cuddle on the couch with your "not a morning person" child.

2. TALK IS CHEAP: TV is not a substitute for meaningful conversation, but "not a morning person" children and/or parents don't feel very chatty when they wake up. As a matter of fact, we'd rather NOT talk or be talked TO; it irritates us and gets on our nerves which causes "not a morning person" children to become more agitated. My advice is to turn on the TV while you CUDDLE with your child and watch a wholesome, soul centered age appropriate television show. Our favorites are "Little Bear", "Max and Ruby", "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and "Classical Baby". Avoid loud and garish programs at this time...Yo Gabba Gabba is definitely a no no.

3. BREAKFAST FOR THE SOUL: Try to have something special for your "not a morning person" child to eat after he/she decides that cuddle time is over. The one thing that always puts a smile on my little grouchy boy's face is a "heartcake". Click HERE to see a heartcake. Another big smile maker is "sunshine toast"...check back soon for this recipe. Pair imaginative breakfast items with organic Strawberries and Blueberries and you'll be on your way to a happy day!

4. SLOW DOWN: If you can afford the time in the morning...take it slow and easy. Allow the morning to flow naturally instead of rushing things along. This is easy for me to say since I stay at home with my kids and we homeschool...

5. BE FLEXIBLE: Things don't have to go the way you planned...expect the unexpected. Prepare for meltdowns. They will happen with your "not a morning person" child so get used to it :) The more flexible and relaxed you are as a parent, the less stress and negative energy your "not a morning person" child will feel so just go with the flow.

If none of these things work, your little grouch might need to go back to bed for a while to rest and regroup. It might only take five minutes of alone time to wake up on the right side of the bed. Good luck!