My Morning Method: The Simple Morning Routine I Use as a Stay at Home Mom of Three 

Mornings used to feel like a race I was always losing. Someone needed breakfast, someone couldn’t find their socks, and the house somehow felt messy before the day had even started. As a stay at home mom of three, I quickly realized that if I didn’t have some kind of simple routine, our mornings would always feel chaotic. Over time, I created what I now call my morning method—a realistic mom morning routine that helps me start the day a little calmer, more organized, and actually prepared for the day ahead. Plus, having consistency helps the kids know what to expect from each day. 

 I’ve created my step-by-step routine below. 

My Morning Method 

After years of trying different routines as a mom, I realized that mornings didn’t need to be complicated to work well. What helped the most was having a simple structure I could repeat every day.That’s how my Morning Method started. 

This routine isn’t about having a perfect morning or getting everything done before the kids wake up. Instead, it’s about creating a predictable start to the day, even with three kids in the house! Here’s exactly the steps of what my morning method looks like. 

Step 1: I Do Not Wake Up Before My Kids 

This is probably not what most mommy bloggers out there would say, but I do not wake up before my kids. I’ve tried for years to be an early riser and in this season (and every season of my life so far, haha!) it hasn’t worked well for me. I have set up other methods in my life from nighttime resets to daily cleaning to make my house function well without giving up sleep. You can read about my 5 motherhood methods that have saved my sanity and how i execute them here! 

Step 2: Breakfast First 

Everyone is happier when they are not hungry. My kids need to eat right away when they wake up. We do not do fancy breakfast. As a stay at home mom to three kids, I make three meals a day pretty much every day. Taking more than 10-15 min to make breakfast is not doable for me. Many mornings my husband will make breakfast so I can get some extra rest before he heads to work. This has taken such a load and is so sweet. Whether he makes it or I do, here are; 

Some of our go to, quick, easy, healthy breakfasts: 

• Organic Cereal with whole milk and Applegate Breakfast Sausages 

• Organic oats with protein powder and butter mixed in and drizzle of maple syrup on top 

• Eggs and bacon or occasionally Spam (the hubby and kids love it) 

• Eggs and toast and fruit 

• Dutch Babies with fruit (if I’m feeling fancy but also only take a few minutes to make) 

Step 3: Get Dressed and Chores 

As soon as we are done with breakfast I have the kids put their dishes in the sink and wash their hands. Then they go get dressed for the day and do their morning chores. I’ve printed and hung our daily schedule as a family, my kids morning and afternoon and evening chores, and our daily cleaning schedule in our kitchen. This helps everyone know the plan and what’s expected of them and keeps our morning routine with kids running smoother. 

Their morning chores at ages 3,5, and 7 are to get dressed, make their beds, bring their sippies down,  and feed the animals.  I’ll link my favorite chore charts that the boys can easily use here!

Step 4: Learning Time 

In the fall, winter, and spring we homeschool our older two kids. In the summer learning time often looks like reading books, helping in the garden, or just playing and exploring outside. During school months I will get our oldest started on spelling; he can do this pretty much on his own. I start our middle on something he can do independently and our youngest with toys or coloring.  

This is when I will do a quick morning reset: I tidy the kitchen and get dishes put in the sink, wipe counters, make my coffee and do my push ups. (I learned about habit stacking in the book Atomic Habits. You stack a habit you already do with one you want to do or get better at. I make coffee every morning and wanted to get better at push ups so, I do 10 push ups while my coffee percolates. Fun Fact: reading Atomic Habits is why I started this blog!) 

Step 5: Movement and After School Chores 

After we finish school in the winter or watering plants and spending time outside in the summer; I do my work out and the kids unload the dishwasher from the day before. I work out for about 30 minutes a day. You can read about my 40+ pound weightloss journey and my exact work out plan here if you’re interested! After they unload the dishwasher, my oldest practices piano and my younger two clean up the school/ play room. I shower quickly and get dressed for the day. This is about 15 min if I’m lucky! 

On the days I nanny I must pick up the oldest by 11:45 so we will go get her then. On the days we don’t have the other kiddos and it’s nice out we will often go for a quick walk. We try to get any extra wiggles and energy out we can before lunch, naps, and our afternoon routine. This concludes my simple mom morning routine with kids. 

How to Create Your Own Simple Mom Morning Routine 

Having structure to your mornings as a mom can change your life. The morning often sets the tone for our entire day and when you are home with your kids all day, you need the tone to be as calm and manageable as possible!  

First, I would think through the things that you want to accomplish in the morning and ideally how you want that to feel. Productive? Peaceful? Both? Do you want to get a work out in or schooling? Certain chores or house projects? Build around those things. 

 Next, I would think about what you are capable of. For a long time I would beat myself up for not waking up before my kids. I still do sometimes and would like to eventually be an early riser, but right now that’s not who I am. Instead of letting that derail my “productivity,” I have learned to just change my schedule and methods to suit me better. 

If you aren’t an early riser, don’t be. Block your time in a way you can get the things done you want in the time you have. Having it scheduled will help you get so much more done than you realize. Knowing what chore or household thing you get done on Mondays, and that every week you are getting the things done you need to; it prevents you from feeling overwhelmed that you haven’t vacuumed in three weeks or that you need to organize the linen closet.  

Why This Morning Method Works 

Having morning methods, and methods and systems in general keep your home running sustainably. It sets up the infrastructure so that when things do a get a little out of whack, you already have a system in place you can fall back on. Keeping your home tidy doesn’t have to be a two day miserable event every few months. And then it doesn’t last and you are back at ground zero a few weeks later. It can be 15-30 min a day and a refresh on the closets and pantries every 4-6 months. 

Final Thoughts… 

I know some of you are reading this thinking I’m delusional and I have no idea how busy or chaotic your life is… Well, you’re right. I don’t know you and your specific life. I do know that we are all so busy and overwhelmed and adding one more “to do” feels impossible. If this is you, I wish I could have you over for a cup of coffee and a vent sesh. I truly believe that some kind of morning method or simple routine will be worth the time figuring out. Open the blinds, grab your favorite drink and put pen to paper for 15 minutes. I promise it will clear your head and be so, so worth it!  

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