Every family has experienced it. The frantic rush in the morning to get everyone where they’re supposed to be going. Do the kids all have their homework? Is their lunch packed? Where are their shoes. Hurry! The school bus will be here any minute!
Stick a PopTart in the toaster, gulp down a glass of milk, and run out the door. Barely time for a hug and a kiss, let alone sweet words that might fill their souls for the day.
Sound familiar?
Do you hate living that way?
Is it only on vacation that a slower, unhurried pace of life can happen?
There’s a saying: the hurrier I go the behinder I get.
Last year we made the decision with the full agreement and enthusiasm of our 15-year-old daughter to have her enroll in virtual school. That means that we don’t have a 5:30 wake up to make sure she gets to a 6:20 bus. Our mornings are calm, later and unhurried. It’s a huge blessing.
As I look closer at living an unhurried lifestyle, I see it as giving ourselves room to breathe. I know that not everyone can make the same decisions we have, but I would encourage everyone to take a look at those hurried and harried times and see if there’s any way to bring some peace to them.
Can lunches be made and backpacks packed the night before? Can clothes be laid out? Shoes put by the door? Pre-made breakfasts be ready to go?
I have a daughter who is not a morning person, so she made some of these choices herself as she grew, and I certainly know that not all children will fit well into this mould.
But if you’re finding yourself getting frazzled before the day has barely begun, give some thought to how you might give yourself and your family some breathing room.
This post is part of the Five Minute Friday link up. Join the fun!
Compelled 
Oh yes… I had a girlie that was NOT (I repeat, NOT!) a morning person! We implemented many of these tips to make things easier but I remember well those hectic mornings! I was able to drive her to school, so at least once we were in the car, we had time to talk, calm, recenter, and pray before dropping her off! Believe it or not, now that she is grown and a Mama herself, I miss those crazy mornings every once in awhile! Great post!
Thanks, Karrilee! Glad you survived them enough to even miss them!
My daughter (also 15) is not a morning person either. When she was 12 and 13, we enrolled her in virtual school and I remember those sweet mornings of unhurried breakfasts, etc. Last year she started high school and went back to public school. Our mornings are now a little more hurried, but we do our best to have things done the night before. And I drive her to school now, so we have that time in the car to talk and discuss things before she gets to school. You can always make adjustments to glean a little more time, and a little less hurry in the mornings!
I think that’s the key: making adjustments. We may think we have no choice, but with a little ingenuity, things can look different. Thanks for your comment, Joan.