5 working mums share their morning routine

5 working mums share their morning routine

MUM, Motherhood

Good Morning! How was you start into the new week? Hectic or relaxed? Do your kids have a hard time to get up on week days but are wide awake and ready to conquer the world at 6.45am on week ends?

We asked 5 working mums to share their morning routine with us. Getting a peek into somebody’s ‘home’, or routine, can reveal a lot and we think that sharing is a really good way to make us realise that we are not alone in this. No family is perfect and we all have crazy mornings once in a while.

Remember last Monday, the first day after the half term break? Getting your crew back on track. We all have been there, we all wonder how to make things easier for everyone and we are all rather happy once the kids are dropped off at school and nursery.

No need to come up with the ‘working mum guilt’ at all, because this is when we start working. Time management plays a very important role. The moment we become mums and go back to work our organisation skills have to be top notch.

Let’s see how these 5 mums are structuring their mornings and how things go behind their doors:

Anna Wicks and Lesley Newsholme – founders of teething jewellery brand Lara & Ollie

Anna Wicks
mum of Lara, 4 and Charlie, 1
Lara started at the nursery of a big school in September, so five mornings a week we have to run on some sort of schedule. Charlie is normally up first and tends to be ‘hangry’ so we just need to get a bottle of milk down him before anything else we do.
Lara normally follows fairly quickly and she also wants milk and they play or watch a bit of TV whilst I get breakfast ready and sneak a quick look at emails and usually send Lesley a message about something or other. My husband tends to leave at 7/7.30ish so Lara, Charlie and I sit down to eat together. After a super quick clear up I chase them upstairs and battle getting everyone ready.
If I’m organised, I get clothes out the night before but more often than not I’m scrabbling around for clean socks and uniform. I always put mascara on (I have fair eye lashes so mascara is my thing!) and everyone always has clean teeth before we leave.

There’s always a serious amount of faffing, messing around and me having to manhandle someone into a coat or pair of shoes.

We’re super lucky as school is a five minute walk away so we bribe Charlie into the buggy and off we go. Once Lara is at school things calm down a bit and Charlie and I head to friend’s, a class, swimming or the park.
Weekends are ideally the complete opposite; if we can we like to stay in our pyjamas, have breakfast late and just hang out together!

Lesley Newsholme
mum of Ollie, 4

A normal weekday morning involves shouting a lot!
Ollie is at school two full days a week and three afternoons, so on the full days my mornings are ridiculous as I have to bargain with Ollie to do anything and everything from eating breakfast, put his uniform on and just generally comply!
He’s so full of energy he just wants to run around. The first thing I try and do is drink a cup of hot lemon but invariably it just ends up being black coffee! I make breakfast for Ollie but I rarely eat in the morning. I’m trying to work on this as I know it’s not good. If I do make my own breakfast Ollie tends to want it. And whilst he’s sat still (ish) eating his breakfast I try and grab all his things for school and get slightly organised.
I’ll also take a quick look on Instagram if I can, check emails and send Anna a quick message. Nothing is ever prepared the night before because I am too exhausted.

And I rarely have time to put makeup on for a night out let alone first thing in the morning – I don’t even get around to brushing my hair most days!

After some more herding, we finally make it out of the house, into the car and off to school. With a lot more negotiating in between. Yup it’s chaos! The mornings when Ollie is at school in the afternoon are similar, just slightly less time pressured. And at weekends we just give in and stay in pyjamas.

Nele – founder of Robe of Feathers

mum of three girls
The alarm rings at 6.30h, time for a quick shower.
6.45h and I am waking up our 8 year old and preparing the breakfast table. Plus preparing a little breakfast for the lunch box. I also have to go back to really pull her out of bed as she is not a morning girl. (actually who is, if it is dark and grey outside?)
At around 7.10h I am having breakfast with my eldest with a big coffee for me. The 5 and 2 year old join when they are awake.
At 7.30h it is time for our big girl to walk to school with her school mate (our next door neighbour) and if the small ones aren’t up yet I am waking them now. Now it is time for breakfast with the small ones and dressing myself and the smallest. The 5 year old can do it herself, but always starts playing, drawing and dreaming in between. Little make up for me (really 5 minutes – foundation, mascara, rouge) and brushing everyone’s hair!
Between 8.15-8.30h I am bringing the small ones to Kindergarten.

Back home, I am clearing the mess, making another tea or coffee, enjoying the quiet and starting to work.

 

Nadja Pollack – Photographer

mum of an 8 year old son and a 4 year old daughter
Usually I get up very close before we have to leave the house. We all do. But a lot of times I try to get up at 6.30 am to squeeze in a run. After the shower I prepare breakfast for my kids who eventually turn up sleepy-eyed from their bedrooms.

I prepare meals for school and daycare and get them ready for the day which is usually not that easy with my little one since she has her very own idea of a dress code.

After that I ship her off to the daycare. My son is brought to school by his dad but soon both kids will attend school and then it will be easier and we can bring them together.
After I come back, I make the beds, clean the kitchen and eventually prepare breakfast for myself. At that time I switch on the computer and go through my emails and check what is planned for the day!

Charlotte Samandi – founder of The Little Natural Co.

mum of one daughter
6am: I would love to say I casually wake at this time and treat myself to a coffee in bed while I catch up with emails, but my daughter is an early riser! So it is breakfast right away, followed by morning cuddles on the sofa. We are ready and out the door by 7.45am. My fiancé also leaves very early, around 6.30am to catch the train to London for work.
7.45am: We walk to nursery which is one of my favourite parts of the day. My daughter is always in such a lovely, excitable mood and we love playing games and watching the seasons change.
8am: Nursery drop off and then back home
8am-9.30am: Quick coffee, catch up on news and then a mad dash around the house to get everything tidy and back in place! I put a wash on and then quickly make myself look presentable for the day ahead.
9-30-10am: Post office drop off
10am-12pm: Store is open and it’s straight to packing orders!

 

Sometimes it does feel like we are the conductor of a big orchestra isn’t?

 

Slider: pixabay / Pexels

Related Articles

Share
Tweet
Pin