Your Kids Dressed Themselves, and 4 More Morning Wins That Deserve Celebration

In the game of “Mornings with Kids” the odds are very much NOT in the parents’ favor. We’re almost always outnumbered — either in actual numbers or energy level-wise — and just getting everyone a little closer to being ready for the day can seem like an impossible task.

That’s why it’s so important to acknowledge the “small wins” when they happen. Getting your kids’ shoes on the right feet. That’s a win! Getting everyone to eat their breakfast instead of wearing it. That’s a win! Grabbing the full glass of juice right before it slips off the table. You guessed it: WIN.

We want to help you get a little closer to a morning win. So here are a few goals and how to make them happen.

Wearing Clothes (That Aren’t Pajamas)

We can readily admit the line between “school clothes” and “pajamas” is so blurry you almost can’t see it. But it’s there! And when your kids come downstairs already dressed for facing people who don’t live in your house? You’re winning.

One way to make this happen is by setting clothes out the night before and having them ready to go. Another is to have kids sleep in school clothes. (Remember, we’re going for easy wins here!) After bathtime, they can get dressed for the next day. Fun fact: this works for parents, too.

Breakfast Everyone’s Happy About

Ready for a life hack? You can score one of your easiest wins of the day with a simple tool: waffles.

Some mornings it feels like you do nothing but nag. You hear yourself saying the same things over and over (“Do you have your homework?” “Are your shoes on?”) and wonder if they even hear you. But here’s one phrase you won’t have to repeat even once: “Waffles are ready.”

Look, kids love Eggo waffles. They’re delicious and somehow both crispy and soft? They’re ready in a flash and even the pickiest eaters (usually) love them. When you can eliminate even one hassle from your morning, do it. Eggo waffles are a breakfast everyone can agree on – and some days, that may be the only thing everyone agrees on. So go ahead and start silently practicing your acceptance speech for the Mom of the Year award because you got this one, mama.

Sleeping ‘Til The Sun Rises

We’re all in agreement that one of the not-as-great features of parenting is the scarcity of sleep, right? And as much as we love seeing those little faces in the morning, it’s honestly waaay more enjoyable when the sun is at least considering coming up.

To get this little win for yourself, do some brainstorming with your kids about how they can entertain themselves before getting out of bed. Babies won’t get it – obviously they don’t read the directions. But even toddlers can be persuaded to listen for an alarm before leaving their beds and plowing full-speed into your peacefully sleeping stomach.

Not Losing Your Mind

When you survive morning chaos looking and feeling like the calmest, most together mom in the world, it sets you up for a great day. It means you can make it to lunch time without cringing at anything that came out of your mouth. Not to mention there are about a million benefits to our kids seeing us handle stress without losing our minds.

Lay the groundwork for a peaceful day by doing a little bit of self care before the morning fully kicks into gear. Maybe a 5-minute meditation before you talk to anyone else. Five minutes feels too long? Ok, start with three. Or one. Spend one of your shower minutes visualizing everything going smoothly. Have a super calming playlist ready to go to help you start the day as your best self. And giving your kids some warm Eggo waffles gives you some breathing room while they devour what’s on their plates.

Teeth And Hair: Brushed!

Teeth brushed, hair brushed, bag packed and ready to go. It’s the dream scenario, right? But something that sounds so simple is an achievement worth celebrating.

The key is prepping. At bedtime, help your kids think about what they want the morning to be like. Walk them though getting their clothes on without stopping to work on a puzzle. Or what song they’ll hum when they brush their teeth.

Listen, we love a big win. Who doesn’t? But we’re here for the small morning wins. L’eggo (see what we did there?) of your expectations of perfect, conflict-free mornings and shoot for little moments of morning harmony. Collect those easy wins when you L’Eggo with Eggo.

Eggo is homemade flavor everyone universally agrees is an easy morning win. L’Eggo with Eggo.