18 Moms Share All The Things They Do Before 9:00 A.M.

"At 6:00 a.m. I wake up to my 3-year-old daughter's morning song of joy. It’s an actual song that she sings every morning. Seriously, she’s a morning person. I listen to her twin brother grouch at me, because he’s not a morning person. I drink coffee that my husband brings me, because he’s awesome like that. Then I get dressed, make breakfast, make the kids help clean up after breakfast, and get the kids dressed. I grab backpacks, get in the car, explain for the hundredth time that car seats are important, or that, no, they don’t make car seats big enough for dinosaurs, and take the kids to school. Sometimes my husband and I try to fit in having sex before the kids wake up."

"I nurse the baby, prepare bottles for daycare, pack the toddler’s lunch, put together the baby’s diapers for daycare, pack my lunch, pack pump parts, take juice and vitamin to the toddler, wake the toddler up, get him on the potty, wake the baby, dress the baby, dress the toddler, take the kids downstairs, put the baby in their car seat, make breakfast for the toddler, get dressed, take everything to the car, take the kids to the car, drive to daycare, drop kids off in their classrooms, get to work, prepare my patient lists for the day, greet my first patient or two, pump for 30 minutes, and then it’s 9:00 a.m."

"Not enough because I've been back at work for two months now, and I still can't manage to get there before 9:30 a.m."

"I wake both kids up at 6:45 a.m. Get them a small morning snack, help them pick out clothes for the day, and dress them both. I get dressed for work myself and remind my son to use the potty, as we’re potty training. I put my daughter on the bus at 7:10 a.m., and drive my son to preschool at 7:40 a.m. so that I can make it to work by 8:00 a.m. Between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. at work is a whole other story: register applications, make phone calls, sign in clients and answer their questions."

"I have already been awake since 6:30 a.m. after waking up all night with my newborn. I get up, feed the cats, quickly fix breakfast for my 3-year-old while my newborn screams for a bottle. I make myself a quick cup of coffee and then feed the newborn. My 3-year-old typically throws tantrums in the morning, mainly about wanting to watch television or because her breakfast isn't what she wanted. I change diapers for both, the newborn typically wants to eat again, so I make another bottle,while she cries. I get the newborn down for a nap around 9:00 a.m. and finally I can have breakfast for myself."

"Finish dishes and laundry from day before.

Make school lunches.

Walk and feed dog.

Wake up children.

Help find clothes for children.

Wake up children again.

Make Breakfast.

Distribute meds.

Find shoes.

Fill up water bottles.

Make sure printer is on line for the daily 'I forgot to print something.'

Argue with children that 21 degrees means some sort of over covering to clothes must be worn.

Get children to bus stop or into car. If car, dog must be out in crate.

Mentally murder every other parent at drop off or wish I had a smoke and a drink at the bus stop.

Get home and clean up after breakfast.

Start more laundry.

Start receiving texts about forgotten gym uniforms, signed forms and the occasional, 'I hate school, this class, this teacher, this friend etc.'

Sit down with an iced tea and wish that it was stronger."

"I'm up at 6:15 a.m. I pee, shower, style hair, brush teeth, and get dressed. Then get kids up to potty, get dressed, and brush teeth. Hunt down socks that somewhat match and kids shoes. Find jackets. Get kids breakfast. Put my older kid's lunch in his bag that was made the night before. Hand kids their backpacks, which were checked and readied the night before. Get kids in van and leave by 7:20 a.m. Drop one kid at elementary school then the other at daycare and go to work to be there at 8:00 a.m. If I can manage to get us out of the house by 7:15 a.m., I’ll have time to stop and get myself coffee on the way to work. Work starts at 8:00 a.m. I review charts and labs and messages that came in to the answering service or after 5:00 p.m. the previous day. Patients start at 8:10 a.m."

"Wake up. Refuse to get out of bed at first. Shower. Get dressed and ready. Grab a portable breakfast. Load the car to go to work. Wake up 2-year-old. Change him, have him try to go to the bathroom. Fight him like some kind of zoo animal to brush his teeth. Take his pj’s off. Fight him every step of the way to get dressed. Start the car. Some days, find where the now naked 2-year-old has hidden all his clothes and get him dressed again. Drive to the sitter. Drop him off, sometimes with screaming and clinging and sometimes with being told to go. Drive to work. Set out materials for plans for the day. Teach math. Teach writing. Teach social skills. Finally have coffee and go to the bathroom."

"Sometimes nothing. Dad has always been the morning guy. He lets me sleep in when I can. On work days, I roll out of bed around 7:30 a.m., shower, get dressed, get kid dressed, make lunches, drop kid at daycare, and head into work for 9:00 a.m. start."

"I wake between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., depending on if I have to wash my hair or if it’s a dry shampoo day, get myself ready (hair, makeup, dressed, and teeth brushed), Let the dogs out, finish packing lunches, make coffee, and feed the dogs. My 18-month-old wakes up. I get her out of her crib, dress her, brushed her teeth/ hair, then she nurses while I have time to take roughly three sips of coffee. After she finishes nursing, my mom is normally here to pick her up. I reheat my coffee, then I head off to work, while drinking coffee and eating a muffin or something."

"5:00 a.m. wake up. I check emails and respond to late night inquiries or international subsidiaries to get the ball rolling. I shower, get ready, wake 2-year-old at 6:15 a.m., change diaper, make breakfast, pack their lunch, while simultaneously eating breakfast myself, brush their teeth, and get them out the door by 6:50ish. Drop off at daycare, out the door of daycare by 7:10 a.m., at work by 7:30 a.m., prioritize my to-do list for my day, visit with staff and help them prioritize their day, re-assess my day based on staff needs. Work, work, work, work. It’s only 9:00 a.m. Feels like noon."

"Wake up, make the bed, get dressed. Start coffee and tea, and make breakfast for the kids. Make the kids' beds, tidy the living room (put cushions back on the couch). Feed the cat. Pack lunch boxes for the kids, tell them to get dressed, start a load of laundry, wash the dishes and put away the clean ones, do physical therapy with my youngest, wipe down the kitchen benches, and take the kids to school. Hang out the laundry on the washing line, clean the toilet, and eat breakfast."

"There's usually a bottle/diaper change between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Hopefully, she falls back asleep within 30 minutes. Other kids get up for school at 7:20 a.m., typical school day prep, get irritated I have to remind them to brush their teeth again, get irritated the 7-year-old still doesn't understand she can't wear shorts in winter, get them out the door, take care of the dogs, and wait for the baby to wake up (assuming she didn't wake up at the incessant nagging to brush teeth, or dogs running through the house excited to go outside, of course). Maybe squeeze in a banana or some instant oatmeal for myself. Then just hang out with the 6-month-old."

"Mornings here begin at about 5:00 a.m. on a good day. However, because I live with chronic illness and chronic pain, usually that is a matter of waking up and hobbling to the shower to loosen up enough to be able to walk mostly upright without swearing, much. By 5:30 a.m. I have stretched, showered, dressed (hopefully not falling over in this process at some point) and begun the first pot of fuel, err, coffee. I will then survey the hazmat zone known as the kitchen if I was not on the ball the night before. Dishes done, counters bare, the clothes will be laid out on the table for the day for the younger four kids. They don't have the executive function yet to manage something as vague and open ended as 'please get dressed' alone reliably. Individual servings of breakfast will be set up on the counter and The Wakening will begin."

"Wake up, make coffee, feed the feral kittens, feed the indoor kittens, get the kid up, make her breakfast, get her dressed, mad dash around the house for books, homework, socks and shoes, get myself dressed and out the door by 6:45 a.m. I have an hour-long commute to work where I listen to NPR and get to work by 8:00sh."

"Shower, get dressed, dress my kids, make breakfast for all three of us, put on a little makeup, brush teeth and wash faces, pack up the car, and go to school for drop off. I’m tired."

"Wake up at 5:15 a.m. Brush teeth and throw on sweats. Husband dresses son. Baby is still sleeping, so don't see her ever during the week in the morning. Take toddler to daycare. At work by 6:15 a.m. Check email, attend lecture at 6:30 a.m. Begin operating room cases no later than 7:30 a.m. Maybe have a cup of coffee, during morning break. 9:00 a.m. is pretty much time for a second breakfast or an early lunch."

"Wake up at 5:00 a.m., drink at least two cups of coffee, run three to four miles, shower, wake kids up by 7:30 a.m., make three breakfasts, find six shoes, locate three missing sheets of homework, pack three snacks, walk to school with the kids, help first grader with their gear, folder backpack etc., walk home. On non-workout days I use my one hour of quiet time to watch an episode of whatever series I'm working my way through and knit in my blissfully quiet house before the ravening hoard arises."

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