Slowing Down Our Mornings as a Family
Slowing Down Our Mornings as a Family
I wake up every day at 4:00 a.m.
I pray, spend time in devotion, drink my coffee, and move my body while the rest of the house is still asleep. That quiet time grounds me and helps me show up as the parent I want to be—calm, patient, and present.
But once my kids wake up, the tone of the morning would shift.
I’d let them sleep in later than I should, and as soon as they were up, everything felt rushed. Breakfast, getting dressed, finding shoes—we were always racing the clock. I raised my voice. They raised theirs. We left the house stressed and behind schedule.
One morning, it hit me:
my children weren’t the problem—the pace was.
As a parent, I realized I was asking my kids to function in urgency first thing in the morning, before their bodies and emotions were fully awake. That wasn’t fair to them. I also realized that I had more flexibility than I was using. I was creating pressure that didn’t need to exist.
So I made a decision to slow our mornings down—not just for my sanity, but for my children’s well-being.
I wanted them to start their day feeling regulated, not rushed. I wanted our home to feel safe and calm in the mornings, not tense and loud. Most of all, I wanted to model what it looks like to move through life without constant urgency.
What We Changed to Create Calmer Mornings
I adjusted my work schedule to start one hour later
I bought three timers—one for each child’s room and one for the kitchen—so expectations were clear without constant reminders
I continued waking up early so I could pour into myself before pouring into my kids
I move my body every morning, walking or running for 20 to 30 minutes, which helps me parent with more patience
I wake the kids up two hours before school starts, giving them time to wake up slowly
I set a 15-minute warning timer before it’s time to leave the house
I stopped micromanaging every moment and allowed the morning to unfold naturally
What changed surprised me.
There was less yelling—on all sides. My kids moved with more confidence because they weren’t being rushed. We had time for conversation, laughter, and connection. The mornings became a place where my children could ease into their day instead of bracing for it.
Parenting isn’t just about getting our kids out the door on time. It’s about teaching them how to regulate their emotions, manage time, and move through life with intention.
Sometimes the best thing we can give our children isn’t more structure—it’s more space.
And sometimes, slowing down is the most loving thing we can do