SAHM, do you play with your kids in the early morning?

Early morning while I wake up and make breakfast, I taught how to play independently, once we both finish eating I play with her one on one! I’m trying to set up a morning basket but I keep forgetting to set it up! But that early morning independent play is super helpful since now I have a second baby

If I’m awake enough I will. But if not, I’ll just cuddle with her and put a fun movie on or start talking to her so we’re still having fun together just not something that’ll take too much energy. But she’s use to playing by herself now since I got pregnant again and had her brother. My body hasn’t been the same. She just waits for me to sit down and starts talking to me

Early morning I take time to get the house in order. She plays independently while I vacuum and get breakfast and tea and then when that’s all done we play

Noo, as soon as we wake I give my son water and let him go independently play while I make coffee and breakfast. We play together after breakfast is done and cleaned up.

The first thing my daughter wants when we wake up is an apple sauce pouch , her Blankey, and the tv on. She lounges on the couch for a little bit then soon after that she wants to play. Most days my husband will get up with her and I’ll sleep in like an extra hour but soon as she sees me wake up she’s like “wanna play with me?” lol I just tell her I’m going to have a cup of coffee first. She’s usually okay with that. If she’s feeling a little impatient I’ll even ask if she wants to help me make my cup Of coffee and usually she’ll get excited to help. For the most part she’s good about waiting until I drink my coffee first.

If I’m awake enough I will

As far as routine After my cup of coffee I’ll play with her for about 30min. Make her breakfast After breakfast she’ll usually go play again but by herself Get us dressed Then get out of the house to get some energy out. Lately she’s been loving her scooter. We spend 1hr-2hr outside After outside I bring her in feed her lunch then put her down for a nap

I don’t do mornings. Not my best time lol. It took a handful of tries to get my girl to play independently since I don’t allow games or children’s tv until after 9 am. She can choose nature documentary or music on the tv while she has breakfast but that’s it. Then she can do whatever while I drink my coffee and pump and feed her brother. Sometimes it’s coloring or learning/reading, sometimes it play with her toys. She took to it pretty quickly. Sometimes she still asks to play with me but I just tell her I’m not done with my coffee and she goes off to do her own thing again. Repetition is key. The 9 month old is getting the hang of it too. After feeding he does tum time with his toys and watches her like a hawk while I just do me lol.

I’ve seen there are 30 most important minutes of the day. 10 min When you see them when they first wake up, 10 min right before they go to sleep, and 10 min when you reunite after being apart. I am usually so sluggish and exhausted in the morning as a breastfeeding cosleeping mom but I’ve seen a male transformation trying this out. I do NOT play with my little one first thing in the morning, but taking a few minutes to smile (I’ve found this most important), give hugs/kisses, asking how did he sleep, and just generally being present and seeing the mood for being happy to see him (even if I force myself a little) makes all the difference. Play when you feel ready but be happy and he/she will independently play fine while you’re nearby. Btw you’re doing amazing 🫶🏽

I’ll say like I’ll play in a few minutes. Showing that you’ll play with her later will help her feel more secure and not just always want to because she might think you never want to. But I’ll say like let me make breakfast and my coffee first then we can play

No. She gives me her cup I put milk in it we sit on the couch and cuddle while she sips her milk. We will usually talk to each other. I may put on a morning non stimulating show on for her which is usually Daniel tiger or blues clues. Then I change her diaper get her either in no clothes or comfy clothes. And then I cook her breakfast after she says bye to dad for work. Drink my coffee as I make breakfast. Then there’s are start of the day and we play after breakfast lol. She’s always grumpy when she wakes up like her dad lol so she isn’t in the mood to play she just wants to cuddle

Im a work from home mom, but this is part of the reason I wake up before them. The days usually go better if I have activities or plans for them as soon as they wake up. If I don't wake up first, I still direct them to something as soon as they get up but my kids are still toddlers so I expect them to look to me for direction first thing in the morning up until about 6 years old

I always try to have an activity for my toddler in the morning. This morning was slime. Tomorrow morning will be his cars set up to race. I’ll pick something low maintenance and that can be done while I’m drinking my coffee making breakfast. The tv is last resort always

I think it's fine to not play right away and have a routine so she gets used to it. But maybe instead of saying mommy doesn't want to play right now, you can tell her mommy can't play right now first I have to make breakfast or tell her what you need to do first. Then say then mommy would love to play with you for a bit. You can even tell her how long you will spend playing with her. This way she doesn't feel like you simply don't want to spend time with her and that you plan on doing so after you take care of this or that. Give her some independent play options too. It's all about how you explain things and set them up to be used to a routine.

If I have the energy at night, I try to rotate toys/move things around so the first thing he sees when he comes down the stairs he wants to play with. This helps sometimes

You can change your wording a little and it may help the both of you. Instead of saying no, not right now, say when you will play with her. "As soon as I finish this coffee, I'll play dolls" or whatever it is you're gonna do, then keep your word. It helps keep your kiddo from lingering on no and she gets to know WHEN its coming, so you'll be teaching delayed gratification. And of course, it won't always work, but if you can get that routine in, one day, she'll just know and trust that you really will make sure she knows how important she is. My 3 year old usually starts her day with milk and fruit as I navigate the kitchen with my eyes closed 🤣 the bruises from walking into an open dishwasher door are so real.

@Angelina Tiburcio oooh a morning basket is a great idea! Yea I usually need my coffee and to make breakfast for the hubby, he works at 830 so when I wake up it’s around 730-8 (he works down the street). And honestly I know I should wake up earlier but my mommy me time at night is so crucial. I don’t even get breaks at nap time so I stay up till around 11:30-12am

@Mohannahas yes same if I have the energy but usually I don’t and I have to make everyone breakfast before school/work. If I’m up earlier I will play but mostly I’m tired and I need my coffee then breakfast.

@Paisley yes when I wake to a cluttered household it makes it hard to sit and play and I feel so bad because it’s not something she’s worried about but I am. I have to have my coffee and make beds and tidy just a bit before I can relax and play like that

@Elizabeth yes same! My daughter will even wake me up and tell me “get up let’s play” she’s in her imaginative stage where she likes to play pretend and when I’m barely waking up playing pretend is something I just can’t muster up the energy for 😩

And that is perfectly fine! I know my little one is perfectly content playing by herself for a bit and if she starts getting fussy I’ll finish up what I’m doing and we will play earlier and I’ll finish the cleaning later but I always make sure I have my tea… the one thing I can make sure I do for myself

@Jackie yes I think our morning routine is about the same, she’s usually okay with me telling her I can’t right now because I have to make breakfast, I’ll ask if she wants to crack eggs (which she’s actually really good at) but she’s such a strong willed little 3 yr old if she’s not in the mood to help and wants to play only she will throw a little tantrum about it. Which is a little more difficult morning for me but if I don’t have the energy I cannot play pretend with her toys if my life depended on it lol. :( and she can sense when I’m not in the mood so I usually put us both first by having my coffee and getting the day started (breakfast, brushing teeth, change clothes/diaper. And THEN we can play. Haha

@Jackie my daughter wants to play before breakfast, after breakfast, during breakfast even lol. She has a bike and scooter and even a trampoline outside and she will rather stay inside and play. I love to have coffee outside in the AM to soak up some sun and listen to birds but she’s really hell-bent on playing with her toys indoors. Lol

@PnkTink omg yes I’m the same way! Lol I’m not a morning person, even with a kid. I NEED my coffee and of course breakfast, I’m still trying to get her to independently play in the morning. She will even wake me up that she wants to play or she’s hungry, she will mostly say she’s hungry but when I make breakfast she’s like “SIKE, not hungry let’s play” and not eat a single thing lmao. Not in those exact words but def how she goes about it lol. And as far as the tv thing same! I don’t like to have TV on so early and after a certain time I’ll either put something educational on like Elmo or Ms Rachel or classical music for kids.

@Gabrielle I’m really trying to figure out different ways to say it, because when I say “hold on” or “In a minute” and I can’t get to it in a timely manner I feel like I’m disappointing her. That’s why I just say “not right now baby” or “mommy isn’t doing play right now”… but I also feel like I’m rejecting her. But also want her to learn that someone won’t want to play every time she asks. 😩 I’m a mess lol