I know, I know, GASP — I used the term “working moms.” Every single mom is a working mom, I realize. But, when you are a full-time working mother who is required to be somewhere in business attire at a specific time to meet with clients and look presentable, it’s a whole other ballgame.
I’m a tax accountant, so my life is in full crazy mode until April 15th. I don’t get home until 7:30pm and barely have anything left to give by the time I walk through the door. My time with my toddler on the days I work is precious — every single minute counts. I know that for every mom leaving the house is the HARDEST part of the day, no matter if you’re going to the playground or your job.
Why does everyone go into sloth mode when it’s time to get in the car? WHY????
Shoes? Socks? Jacket? NOPE. All missing. Every single item. Vanished into thin air.
Why do children require so many items? Why must they want a specific color cup? Why? Why? Why? As hard as it can be in the morning, sometimes those are the only 20-30 minutes I get with my son that day. So, I make them count. I make it a game and we have a little morning routine we do so he knows what to expect and feels helpful at the same time.
Our morning routine (which starts the night before) looks like this:
1. Pack lunches/snacks/drinks the night before.
Seriously, just do it. I come home every night and am exhausted, but trying to put together all of that in the morning is a nightmare. Your child will want every single snack they see you throw in their bag and end up eating everything. It’s a disaster. Do it the night before and throw it all in the fridge so you just grab it and go!
2. Lay out every single part of everyone’s outfits.
I use our pack ‘n play to lay out our complete outfits so I can throw on everything and go. No thinking at all. Just get dressed and get out the door.
3. Do your makeup in the car.
NOOOOOO, not while actually driving. I am not recommending that at all. I mean when everyone is in the car, strapped in, not able to move, you can put your face on. You also have the best lighting since you’ll be in natural light and close to a mirror. I can do my “mom makeup” in 5-7 minutes and look completely thrown together. Thank you, YouTubers. I also throw some dry shampoo in my hair and I’m good to go.
4. Give yourself some grace.
Every morning is not going to go smoothly. If you are able, have extra clothes at work and leave extra diapers/clothes/snacks wherever your childcare is for emergencies. Because, kids. I also always have a black blazer or sweater at my desk I can throw on anytime to look professional — WIN!
No matter if you’re leaving the house for work or just running an errand, mornings are hard and leaving the house with kids should be an Olympic sport.
