A Peaceful Morning… With A Stretch And Mental Head Start
I love doing everything with my kiddos. But as they are getting older and louder (ages 4 and 2), I’m realizing that I need a head start on the day and that I really, really love a little bit of quiet, me time. My new favorite time is at 5:45am. Before they wake up at 7 (for the most part). Now that they sleep through the night and I can get the rest I need; I’ve been relishing in this time. It’s my time to pray, stretch, read my bible and get dressed. A way to start my morning relaxed, ahead of the game and with my good foot forward.
The morning head start
I have always LOVED mornings, but have grown to hate them with a passion, since having little babies… because I always just. wanted. more. sleep….
The best decision I have made this year… was to get a head start and to allow my undisturbed morning time to return. 🙌
Kids are our greatest teachers in MAKING us push our limits and grow in so many different ways. So why not do it for yourself and push a little more. AND I TOTALLY GET IT… I did not want to push myself to get up early again until this summer… and my second son (who just turned 2 last month) started sleeping through the night a few months before! 😆 So YOU will know when the time is right… but sometimes it does just take a decision on your part.
Get your mind in the right place first
I’ve re-learned recently, that starting my day off by getting my head in the right place first, is the key to a less stressful and successful day! To be mentally prepared to handle the day, helps me tackel all the craziness and aids me in staying strong and in check. You’ve got to do whatever works for you, but for me it is prayer and reading my bible (my instruction booklet for life 😉).
This book, above, “Love and Respect in the Family” has been the most helpful, biblically-based resource for me as a parent. It has helped me grow and learn so much about my kids, boys and how to parent God’s way. It’s been a game-changer in my parenting style this summer. I highly recommend it… Check it out here on Amazon! (As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.)
Why stretch first
With summertime being our most active time of the year; between normal, daily workouts, extra mini-workouts throughout the day, playing hard with my kids- swimming, bike-riding, hiking and the other fun summer activities… I find my body needs some extra stretching. I am always so tight from all the activity, so ending and starting my day with a stretch is an absolute must for to sleep better and for me to get going in the morning! 🙆♀️
And other times of the year it’s also great! To wake up and stretch, just helps the blood start flowing and flushes out toxins. Stretching helps wake up every cell in the body and you gain energy with the movement. Plus, if you have little kids who always want to be held or picked up… getting your body physically ready to move and perform is so important in preventing injuries and staying out of pain throughout your day.
So that’s my secret…. to get up early and stretch for 20-30 minutes. My boys wake up ready to eat, run and play… so before the tackling (because they always love to sit on me when I stretch) and the noise starts… I like to have the upper hand in that area as well.
More on stretching
For why and how to properly stretch and a few stretching essential tips, check out my post “Why you need to stretch now… and how!”
And one other important tip, is to make sure your body is hydrated and warmed up first (by using foam roller for example- demo at bottom of post) before you hold any static stretch. This is very important to avoid injury. 😉
Below are a few other stretching routines for you:
A complete stretch
A mat variation
