The Daily Morning Struggle

I’m sitting alone at my desk, with a hoarse throat, sipping on coffee and feeling guilty. I have about 10-15 minutes to do this before one of the little kids needs something. This is what I usually do Monday through Friday, this sitting-feeling-guilty routine. Our daily mornings are a struggle. A struggle to eat breakfast. A struggle to get dressed. A struggle to brush teeth, comb hair and feed the dog. A motherhefty struggle to get out the door. A struggle to maintain sanity.

My voice is hoarse. I have a headache. I don’t want to do this anymore and I have seriously started to consider taking my oldest to a child psychologist.

This can’t be normal. This constant, serious struggle in the mornings. I mean, it just can’t be normal. I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried waking him up extra early to allow more time to chill before the rush to get out the door, I’ve tried talking in the most patient, softest of voices. I’ve tried not talking at all. I’ve tried different foods for breakfast, different getting ready tactics, different…everything. And nothing seems to work. I usually end up screaming like a demon at the top of my voice, shaking, threatening bodily harm and barely making it out the door in time to get to school in time. The mornings are hell. No, I’m serious.

Growing up my brother and I were responsible for getting ourselves ready and out the door on time. No one was home. So I literally have nothing to compare my adult life to. But still, I can’t imagine that everyone has it this bad. I can’t imagine that every 1st grader refuses to eat, refuses to drink, talks back like a 15 year old, hits his little siblings, cries, stomps, throws ridiculous tantrums and is a general moron every morning.

Please tell me that there are others like me out there. Let us join forces, commiserate and find a way to overcome the daily morning struggle together.