Working moms

[diggitydot]

There are a ton of "make ahead" breakfast recipes on Pinterest that you might want to check out. One that I'm going to try is the baked oatmeal that is made in muffin tins and apparently turns out really well. They can be made ahead of time, in bulk, and freezes well. You can put in whatever you like so they're as healthy as you choose to make them.

I never dressed the kids the night before in their clothes for the next day because my kids are messy as hell. Even "clean" days can be gross.

[Michele]

I'm going to try to expand the breakfast menu. I'll make the pancakes and waffles to freeze as back ups, but I'm going to try to find some new breakfast options. D will eat scrambled eggs and quiche. K is a fussy pants and going through a super picky phase. P has a few bites of whatever. K used to eat oatmeal....I've seen those oatmeal cups....I may try to make some bagels too and see if the crew likes them.

[Pollyanna]

Those are some potentially time intensive breakfast options. I'm sure these don't fit the good mom mold for healthy breakfast but this is what you can eat at our home. Cereal and milk, Eggo waffles with peanut butter or butter or jam (no syrup on a school day), graham crackers with peanut butter, Z-bars/Tiger milk bars/Mojo bars/etc. Easy quick and no cooking involved. Also, aside from the cereal all these items can be consumed on the way to school. Obviously P is still a toddler and needs help with breakfast but i would keep it super simple in an effort to speed things along and decrease your workload. Paper plates/bowls at breakfast are also a huge help.

[HouseofWool]

We often do dry cereal in a baggie on the way to school if someone (S) is not cooperating. It is just easier to let her have 5 more minutes in bed than it is to argue all morning.

[mommax3]

I remember putting cheerios in a ziplock baggie, raisins in another baggie, and milk in a sippy cup for the boys to have on the way to school....worked for them and me!

[Pollyanna]

My cousin used to drink Rice Krispies in milk on the way to school all the time, no spoon needed Of course this is only for older kids but good to keep in mind.

[scrub-jay]

Breakfast in our house:
DD: oatmeal or Cheerios w/soy milk? If we have time, cinnamon & raisins/apples in the oatmeal. 2 choices, everyday.
Adults: oatmeal + coffee, extra coffee as needed. Simplicity is our friend.

[alison]

We do a lot of fruit (bananas are easy; oranges; apples/pears cut the night before). I also give dd little pieces of cheddar cheese.

I also throw eggs in a pan and do a scramble with whatever is lying around. That might be something for a weekend though.

Dd eats almost nothing, so I'm probably not the right person to give you very many ideas.

[MrsK]

Eggs can be made in the microwave too. No dirty pans!

[Michele]

My microwave eggs always stick and it's a pain to clean! But I have an awesome countertop electric skillet that wipes clean. I use it for toast, eggs, pancakes, grilled cheese and quesadillas. It's always on the counter.

I haven't read the Love Languages book yet, but I'm pretty sure mine is food. It's probably a combo of my upbringing, heritage and just something about me, but if it can be made from scratch with love, it should. I have a hard time using prepackaged food. I do use them occasionally (10-25%) but I have guilt over it. Issues!!

Now before you tell me to get over it, it's a battle worth picking for me. TV? My kids get more than an hour of screen time BEFORE breakfast. It is always on in my house if kids are around. I know that wouldn't fly in a lot of your homes.

[diggitydot]

Um, TV is the least of your worries right now. If it keeps the house calm so you have a handful of minutes to get ready, so be it.

[MrsK]

A little PAM will keep the eggs from sticking to the bowl when you microwave.

No TV in the morning. The kids get distracted and it slows everything down. Use it as a bribe if you need to. They only get tv after they've dresses, eaten, brushed teeth, and they are ready to go.

[diggitydot]

It's used as a bribe around here, too. Kids can watch only after they're completely done getting ready. However, our kids are significantly older at 16, 12 and almost 10.

There's nothing wrong with using the TV to give you a little time to get yourself together after the kids are ready to go.

[houseelf]

haven't read the Love Languages book yet, but I'm pretty sure mine is food. It's probably a combo of my upbringing, heritage and just something about me, but if it can be made from scratch with love, it should. I have a hard time using prepackaged food. I do use them occasionally (10-25%) but I have guilt over it. Issues!!

At least you know it. By the way, talk to Kris. She has this rule that Good Moms make mashed potatoes only from scratch. My kids have NEVER had the kind from scratch. We all have our stories that we tell ourselves, "I'm a good mom if_______"

I mean this with love and kindness when I tell you that your standards will change. You are just a bit behind some of us on your journey.

We don't do TV in the mornings because it doesn't add to the process. I don't give my kids a lot of time to dawdle. I'm all about staying on task.

[mommax3]

I used tv in the morning when my kids were little to give me time and opportunity to get *myself* ready. As they got older and I needed them to get ready independently, tv became a hindrance rather than a help, so I nixed it. I think I am most relaxed as a parent when I view everything as a work in progress and don't hold myself to any hard and fast rules. If I accomplish my "list" but I am crabby, tired, discouraged (insert your own negative emotion) all the time, it isn't worth it because my kids will remember my mood and not my "list".