No matter whether we were night owls or up with the birds in our pre-baby lives, odds are that if we’ve got small people in the household right now, we’ll be struggling to get out of bed most mornings.
This is never truer than when we’re working mums. Knowing that we have a commitment to be in the office (or wherever our workplace happens to be) at a certain time every day, puts a certain amount of pressure on early mornings that ensures we are never going to be slowly waking up over that first cup of coffee as we watch the world come to life.
Instead, the alarm goes off and we (mostly) swing into action army-style. Even when our brains are still trying to work out what day it is. So in a tribute to working mums everywhere, here’s a snapshot of the first few minutes of every workday morning:
1. I’m tired
No matter what time the alarm is set for, it’s always too early. On work days, more than any other, 20 more minutes of sleep is needed. It would make such a difference to the day ahead.
2. I need to get up
This day is not going to sort itself on its own. Get out of bed. Get out. Now. Go on, pull back the covers and put those feet on the ground. Now.
3. Do I have time to wash my hair this morning?
On a scale of chic tousled beach hair to greasy chip, just how bad is it anyway? Bad. Must get up NOW.
4. I hope that midnight cough doesn’t mean someone’s getting sick
I have a busy day at work ahead – so really cannot be called by daycare again because of a feverish child. Would it be cheating if I applied a preventative dose of paracetamol to all small children as we exited the car this morning? Note to self: put medication in handbag, just in case.
5. Show and Tell! It’s our turn to bring something in today
Hmmmm …. What did we ‘show and tell’ last time? Has the dead stick insect in the jar had a viewing yet?
6. Lunches
Bugger. Forgot to take the bread out of the freezer last night. Now I’ll have to forage for healthy lunch-type foods to fill the lunch boxes.
7. Why can’t I hear the children?
Please don’t make me have to wake them up. It is the cruellest trick in the world to only have kids sleep in on the days when they are meant to be up and moving. Weekend mornings, they’re bouncing around at 6am but Thursday mornings, they’re still punching out zz’s at 7am.
8. What time is it?
Aaargh!
9. I need to get up
GET UP.
10. What am I going to wear?
Easy answer: Anything still clean and not crumpled. Don’t want to channel my inner bag-lady in the workplace today.
11. Do we have time for breakfast?
Yes, if we move quickly and efficiently from this moment on. OR, we can have a ‘car picnic’ on the way to daycare. Never done that before.
12. Are the bags packed for daycare?
No. Why did I not unpack the bags last night? Must remind future self that being ‘too tired’ at night is never an excuse not to get things done. Being ‘too tired’ in the morning always, always trumps night-time exhaustion.
13. Why am I still lying in bed?
This is crazy! If I get up at this exact minute, we can still be running on time if we are out the door in 23 minutes. Impossible? Never! Challenge ACCEPTED!
