Make your morning less stressful as a mom

This blog post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Oroweat Organic Bread

If you are a mom to a toddler and you’re reading this, we’re on the same page. Mom life, especially new mom life, is full of chaos and unpredictable things. Sometimes, I found myself being washed out only at noon. And day by day, I have learned some ways to help with that and those ways work great for us. Today in this blog post, I am going to share some of the tips to make your morning less stressful as a mom. Before reading, make sure you read my previous post on How I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom

There are somethings to do the night before

Yes, this is key! I found cleaning the house and putting toys away the night before makes a huge difference. Trust me on this, waking up to a clean tidy home helps you to feel a lot weightless. You can also prepare things you need for making breakfast the night before and save you time in the morning. 

Easy breakfast is a game changer!

Do yourself a research and find all the easy breakfast ideas. Sandwich is never a bad idea since you can do a lot of different sandwiches and you and your little one(s) will love. My daughter loves the sandwiches I made for her using Oroweat Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread. Garlic & green onion toast, Simple toast with butter, jambon and dried shredded pork sandwich, and grape jelly sandwich are some of my daughter’s favorites. 

Be clear on playtime

If your little one is not currently in childcare or school, and is staying home with you full time, you might struggle finding time to do house work. My daughter is a clingy baby, who always asks for attention. One method I found works best is to have a talk with her about playtime-with-mommy. Morning is when I get the major of must-do-things of the day. I made a deal with my daughter that I will play with her only after this or that work is done. Meanwhile, I set a sensory play area for her to be able to play by herself. 

Find indoor activities for your kids

This is an important addition to the tips above. You know how short a kid’s patience is. Here is what you can do to “deal” with your demanding-for-attention-child. Go online and search for indoor activities you can set up for your kids. My daughter loves hunting for hidden items. I sometimes hide her small animal toys around the house and her mission is to search for them.

Cooking with your little one is another fun activity. Ask him/her to make breakfast with you and get creative on what to make. I am sure it’s one great way to give him/her the attention he/she wants while encouraging him/her to enjoy breakfast. 

Take a deep breath!

If the tips above don’t work out for that day, don’t stress! I know this is harder to do than it sounds, but take a deep deep breath and remember this: Motherhood is unpredictable. Somedays are harder than others and we’ve got this. Just forget what needs to be done (if you can) and enjoy some fun time with your little(s). And you know what, I did this sometimes, and those mornings turned out very productive surprisingly. 

Those are the simplest tips to make your morning less stressful as a mom. I am so proud to be partnered with Oroweat in this post and sharing ways to help other moms out. Their Oroweat Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread is my daughter’s favorite since it features Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. This bread is delicious and has a soft and smooth texture while also providing great nutrition for kids, and that’s why it’s perfect for picky eaters like my daughter. Plus, Oroweat breads are sustainably baked renewable wind energy. 

Xo,

Vannie

Simple on-the-go activities for toddlers

It’s common knowledge that kids hate waiting. They hate waiting for food, waiting in lines and especially waiting in the car during a long drive. Therefore, keeping your toddlers busy is key for long road trips. There are several simple on-the-go activities for toddlers worth borrowing to ease your children, let’s check it out.

Prepare a “busy bag”

A bag of tricks will surely entertain your toddlers for hours. What you need to do is create a bag of different types of toys and games that your babies normally love playing at home. Simply include sticker books, coloring books, small dolls or robots, colorful flashcards, etc. Kids get bored with the same toys easily so you may need to alter many types of things to keep them entertained. Do prepare 1 or 2 new toys in the bag just in case. They don’t have to be expensive. You can find lots of affordable on-the-go toys on Amazon.

Keep an eye out

Allow your babies to look outside the window and ask them questions about what they see out there. The scenery along the road plays a perfect role to attract toddlers’ attention for a while. You can also communicate with your kids by asking them to describe what they see. You can also teach them new things about vehicles or trees that show up on the way. My daughter loves telling me what color of the vehicles or the houses she sees on the road.

Play a copycat game

Another fun activity you can play with your little ones is the copycat game. Tell them to do as you’re doing. You can use your hand to make some funny shapes and ask them to copy the action or you can simply rub your belly 5 times and see if they can do the exact number of actions. This game can keep your little one busy. It also helps stimulate your kids’ responsiveness to some certain actions and situations. 

Tell stories

All children love listening to fairy tales. Therefore, bringing a book of stories collection to read for your babies on the way is not a bad idea. Listening to stories not only keep your child away from boredom, but also have amazing impacts on improving their vocabularies and boosting their imaginative level. You can also find stories online without having to bring too many books.

Sing together

Turn on a playlist of their favorite nursery songs and sing with them along the beat. You can also clap your hands and teach them to do the same thing while singing. My daughter is addicted to singing and she loves to sing with me. That’s why my phone is now full of kindergarten rhymes and songs which I will play during the drive time to ease my little angel.

Communicate about life

If you notice that your preschoolers love talking, make time to communicate with them. You may need to have some simple conversations by asking them several easy questions like: “What color do you like?”, “What is your name, baby?”, “What kind of toys do you love playing?”, “Do you love mama / dada?”, “Let’s count from 1 to 20”, etc. These simple questions work effectively as a bored-reliever and your babies won’t have time to express their anger during the go. 

Bring snack

If all the above solutions fail, food wins the children’s hearts, right? Giving them their beloved snack may help to calm them down for couples of minutes.

Sitting in a car-seat for hours is a disaster if there’s no activities to draw your child’s attention away from getting tired and upset.  I hope that these simple on-the-go activities for toddlers will be helpful. Kids are unpredictable and we all need to be well-prepared before any road trip. Don’t forget to pack all the needed things to serve your little highness in any unexpected situations. I hope all the above ideas will help to make it easier for a smooth and happy travelling time. Speaking of traveling, check out my previous post sharing thoughtful gift ideas for travelers.