As a working, homeschooling mom of four, I have worked hard to set up my days in a way that cultivates peace and joy in my home. Now that my children are older – ages 4, 5, 9, and 11 – I finally feel like I can carve out more quiet time for myself.

When I can start the mornings this way, I feel more connected to God and my family. Below is a peek inside my homeschool mom morning routine, if you'd like to see. 

In this blog post: 

• My homeschool mom full morning routine

5:30 - 6 a.m. Breakfast, coffee, and quiet time

Most mornings I try to wake between 5:30 - 6 a.m. to make space for quiet time before the day begins. During this time, I quietly drink coffee and have breakfast. I also spend a few minutes preparing meals for my family. Being awake early in the morning helps me to get in the right mindset before the day begins. Some mornings, my husband is awake and we enjoy this time together, but other times I am awake alone. 

Related: Dear New Homeschool Mom: 5 Things I’d Like to Tell You

After getting out of bed, I make my morning coffee (this is my current favorite). I also make a small breakfast to eat at this time. Lately, my go-to breakfast has been oatmeal with collagen protein and blueberries.

Another habit that anchors my day is spending a few minutes preparing meals. I may put breakfast in the oven or take something out of the freezer to defrost for dinner. Here are some recipes we have been loving this year:

• Zucchini Lasagna from Skinnytaste
• The Best Classic Chili from The Wholesome Dish
• Best Lentil Soup from Cookie and Kate

The most important meal I focus on is what my children and I will eat for lunch. I often make my children’s lunches ahead of time. This way, when it is time for lunch, all we have to do is pull everything out and continue our day. Most days, we have our lunch while we do our read-aloud, so having lunch prepared and not having to stop everything and figure out lunch makes the day so much easier.

Related: Simple, Whole Food Pack Ahead Lunch Ideas for Kids

For me, it is also important to think about what I will feed myself for lunch, even if I don’t make it until later. I may decide on having a smoothie or eating leftovers, but thinking about it helps me choose a nutrient-rich meal instead of grabbing something without thinking. 

Doing these small tasks in the morning helps me mentally prepare for the day. I can focus on being present with my children during our time together and ensure I have the capacity for my creative projects.

6 - 7 a.m. Bible, gratitude journal, and reading

Afterward, I settle in and spend quiet time reading my Bible, a devotional, or journaling. For many years I wanted to be able to have this practice of starting the day by praying and spending time with God. However, for many years, with small children and sleepless nights, it seemed impossible. Now that my children are older, I can enjoy this time and am so grateful. It has been so meaningful to me to carve out alone time to refocus myself and align my heart with God’s. It helps me find peace and joy before my day gets going. When I can spend my mornings this way, I can give to my family from a full cup.

Recently, I have been doing a gratitude journal. I have also enjoyed daily devotionals from Sally Clarkson’s Mom Heart Moments. I also like to read sections from Cultivate, which includes journaling prompts. Most days I do this for about 30-45 minutes.

If I have time, I may spend a few minutes reading. Here are some books I have been working my way through: 

• Raising Emotionally Strong Boys by David Thomas
• Switch on Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf

At some point, one of my children may wake up and wander down from their bed. I love having a few minutes to snuggle with them before the day starts. I also love for them to observe me and my husband reading the Bible and praying, or we can pray together for a few moments. I want my children to see me develop a habit of spending time with God firsthand.

7 - 8 a.m. Walk or exercise 

When there is movement in my house and the children start waking up, my husband joins in to serve breakfast. We may prepare breakfast for the family together, or he will do it himself. My children also like to join in and help in different ways.

Once everyone is settled, most mornings I step away for about an hour for my morning walk or exercise. Recently I have been loving walking through our new neighborhood, which is near a historic downtown area. I try to do this on Monday through Thursday mornings, though often I only do three mornings a week. My goal is to walk 3 miles in one hour. I use Map My Walk to track my distance.  

On my walk, I listen to podcasts or catch up with my friends on Marco Polo. 

Related: My Favorite Blogs, Podcasts, and Books for the Homeschool Mama

When I cannot make it outdoors, I do workouts at home with Beachbody on Demand.

While I am gone, my husband eats breakfast with my children and spends time doing our home Bible study with them. This year, we are working our way through Rooted Family Bible Curriculum, but we have also used other devotionals that worked well for us in the past. I am so grateful that my husband can take this time to connect with my children before our homeschool day begins. As much as I love being a part of this time with my family, I am in a season where spending some time alone in the morning is really valuable to me and my husband enjoys leading this time with the kids. 

Related: Introducing Rooted Family Bible Curriculum and Identity in Christ Children’s Bible Lesson [Free Download]

8 - 9:30 a.m. Morning responsibilities

By the time I am finished exercising, my family has completed breakfast and we all transition into our morning chores.

For myself, that looks like finishing up any meal preparation for later in the day, setting out a snack for my children to have when we start school, doing a few chores around the house, and getting dressed.

Meanwhile, my children are working their way through their chore lists. Each child has a chore chart they use to check off their responsibilities as they complete them. While I am doing tasks for myself, I am checking in with my children to make sure they are on track. The most important tasks for my children are getting dressed for the day and tidying up their rooms. This often looks like making the bed and putting away any toys or games they got out over the weekend or the night before.

Before we begin school, I look over my homeschool planner and set out our Morning Time materials, plus any curriculum plans we have for the day.

 

I hope this is helpful to peek inside my day and see what my mornings look like. In the comments, I would love to hear what you do each morning to get your day going, or what you'd like to add to your morning routine.