Welcome to The Everymom Before 9am, where we’re exploring the challenges of weekdays and shedding light on all that goes into mornings with kids. We’re asking mothers how they manage their mornings, from the time they wake up until the time they leave the house (if applicable). We hope by sharing a variety of stories, maybe we can help each other find hacks, shortcuts, and, at the very least, support in knowing we’re not alone.Â
Today: A teacher working from home alongside her husband and 1-year-old daughter and teaching virtual lessons to students during COVID-19 school closures.Â
City: Newport
State: Rhode Island
Relationship status:Â Married
Age: 29
Gender Identity:Â Female
Work hours:Â Full-Time
Work location: Usually outside of the home but now working from home during COVID-19
Awake time: 5am
Number of cups of coffee drank before 9am: 2
Partner’s age: 34
Partner’s gender identity: Male
Partner’s work hours: Full-Time
Work location: Usually outside of the home but now working from home during COVID-19
Child 1 age: 1
Childcare: Currently home while mom and dad are working from home
Pets:Â 1 dog
5:00am: My alarm goes off. I turn it off before it can wake anyone else because I need alone time in the morning. I get up and the dog immediately takes my spot in bed. Good because now I cannot crawl back in. I change into a sports bra and workout leggings and grab a pair of socks.
5:15-6:00am: Drink a huge glass of lemon water in the dark kitchen before heading to the Peloton. I choose a 45-minute class and turn the volume way up to drown out my anxiety.
6:15am: The dog is begging to go out, so I throw on a sweatshirt and grab her leash. She wanders back and forth looking for the perfect spot while my sweat turns to ice! I bring her in and feed her breakfast.
6:30am: Hop in the shower after my workout. Shower, do my hair and makeup, and take my immune-boosting essential oils. I know I will see parents on my virtual Zoom video sessions with students today, so I need to look professional.
I know I will see parents on my virtual Zoom video sessions with students today, so I need to look professional.
7-7:15am: My daughter wakes up! She will talk to herself for a few minutes before she starts banging on the wall to get up, so I run downstairs to make her bottle of warm milk. I shout for my husband and let him know he must have hit snooze on his alarm again on my way by the bedroom. My daughter drinks her bottle while I change her diaper and get her dressed for the day.
7:15am: We all head downstairs for breakfast. I make eggs and frozen pancakes for everyone. We eat at the island together.
7:30am: The dog wants to go out again, and my husband wants to go check on his parents up the road and get take-out coffee, so they leave me with my daughter at home. We make coffee. She scoops two big scoops of grounds into the coffee maker. We take out her toys and play until my husband gets home around 8am and goes to the office to make his first call of the day while working from home.
8:00am: I have to get ready for my first virtual class. My daughter sits in her high chair next to me with Play-Doh and cookie cutters while I sign in and set up some of the day’s lessons. I check my emails and Google Classroom to see if any parents have reached out about yesterday’s work.
8:15 am: My daughter wants a new activity, so I get water and paintbrushes, and she paints on some construction paper while I continue to work.
My daughter wants to get out of her high chair, so I take the laptop to the living room where her toys are. She sits on my legs and plays with her barn and school bus while I set up virtual meetings with my students via email.
8:30am: She wants to get out of her high chair, so I take the laptop to the living room where her toys are. She sits on my legs and plays with her barn and school bus while I set up virtual meetings with my students via email.
8:36am: She wants to type to, so I go find her pretend cell phone and the old computer keyboard we let her play with.
8:40am: My husband is done with his work call and comes down with the dog to play with our daughter. I take this opportunity to take a bathroom break and double-check my virtual classroom posts.
9:00am: We head outside for a bit while my students do their work. I will check in on them again in about a half-hour.
