A Parent’s Guide to Early Morning Routines

Be the best parent you can be by carving out a bit of alone time for yourself

It’s important for parents to find rejuvenating activities to recharge, even if that is simply sitting quietly with a cup of tea or coffee. Delmaine Donson/Getty Images

Time to oneself is an essential part of life. In these moments, one can process thoughts and emotions, calm one’s heart and mind, pray, envision, dream, study, and rest. These aren’t trivial.

It’s one thing to carve out time for oneself as a young adult when one is mainly responsible for oneself, but when one becomes a parent, it can feel like a luxury that seems elusive, if not impossible. Even in moments in one’s day that used to be mostly private, somehow, the ability to be alone seems hard to come by when little ones come along.

The irony is that time to oneself becomes ever more valuable when the responsibility of raising children is placed upon one’s shoulders. These precious souls need the best of their parents, and that requires alone time.

The good news is that just a little bit of time each day can go a long way. Once you’re past the infant stage and back on a decent sleep schedule, it isn’t impossible to carve out a little bit of time for yourself if you establish consistent rhythms in your home and do a little planning ahead. Allowing yourself time to think, sip a cup of coffee, and relax can fuel your ability to be the parent you most want to be. Here are a few ways even the busiest parent can find some alone time and make the most of it.

Bedtime Routines

Bedtime routines affect the rhythm of the day like nothing else. The key to establishing solid, enjoyable bedtime routines is consistency and repetition. Aim to go through the same process with your children each and every night. Make it joyful and loving, and begin the process early. Perhaps after dinner, you read aloud together, then go through bath time, then tuck your children in and kiss them goodnight. Repeat the same loving phrases, do things in the same order, and enjoy these precious moments together.

A predictable bedtime routine is a comfort to young children and, after it becomes an established habit, will signal their bodies that it’s time to go to sleep. As kids get older, the importance of maintaining solid habits and predictable routines still holds. Adjust as they grow and aim for consistency.

Of course, bedtime isn’t just for the kids. Mom and Dad also need to ensure their sleep schedule is regular and fruitful.

Make this a priority in your home. Figure out the routines that not only work for your family but are joyful and loving. Getting this right will, among other benefits, allow you to make time for yourself and have the mental energy to make the most of it when you do.

Wake-Up Strategy

Many parents find that the most plausible time of day to carve out time for themselves is in the early morning hours before anyone else in the house wakes up. When bedtime routines are predictable and reliable, you can, with some confidence, take the time to enjoy the quiet solitude of the early morning.

Making the time you spend alone as enjoyable and rejuvenating as possible will lead you to actually look forward to it and make it easier to wake up earlier than you are perhaps used to.

Put to use wake-up strategies that work for you. Perhaps you program your coffee maker, place your alarm clock across the room so you have to get up to shut it off, avoid screens before bedtime, and head directly into the shower upon waking.

It might sound like drudgery to wake up earlier, but once it’s a habit, you may be surprised to find that you truly enjoy it.

Something to Look Forward to

When you do sit down to enjoy the time you’ve carved out for yourself, be sure to use it wisely. Establish a ritual that you can enjoy and look forward to.

Some activities you may find nourishing and rejuvenating include exercise, meditating, journaling, praying, reading, spending time outside in the sunshine, drinking coffee or tea, or simply sitting in silence.

Screen Free

One activity you’ll want to avoid during this time is scrolling through your phone or engaging with screens of any kind. The onslaught of stimuli and messaging these devices deliver saps the mental and emotional energy you’re aiming to strengthen during this time. Screens generally aren’t at all rejuvenating. Keep this time screen free.

Make It Your Own

As you continue to enjoy daily time to yourself, notice what works best for you. Perhaps you’re more of a night owl and would be better off carving out time after everyone goes to bed. Perhaps you find drawing, singing, or painting cathartic and want to incorporate that. Follow your gut and nurture yourself in a way that allows you to show up for your life at your very best.