At the Start of My Day

At the start of my day I am awoken by a small person.

The actual small person that wakes me varies, it might be 3 years old, it might be 6 years old.

Some days I smile, feeling ready to start the day, my brain immediately kicking into gear and the to-do lists beginning to whir.

Some days I inwardly sigh, barely opening my bleary eyes as I shuffle up to make room in our bed for the interloper.

My day begins in one of these ways every single time. It can be anywhere between 5.30 and, if I’m really lucky, 7am.

On most days, the start of my day involves any or all of the following:

– having the 3 year old lie entirely on top of me, like a human blanket

– a shout in my ear, way too loud for me to enjoy at any time of the day, much less when I’m just waking up

– having either an Avenger or Jedi knight crusading on my pillow

– being elbowed in the face

– the kids alternating between being desperate to cuddle one another to being desperate to being the only one to cuddle me

– demands for tickles

– raspberries being blown on my stomach

And then there are the snuggles. Warm, sleepy snuggles.

At the start of my day, unless the elbow came particularly sharp, I feel thankful. Yes, tired more often than not and wondering why I don’t have the kids that ever…EVER…lie in, but thankful.

I have happy and healthy kids and I know that these times are precious. I know that in the big scheme of parenting, these times are fleeting. I know that there will come a day when my children wake up and their first thought is not to get to mummy for a morning cuddle and kiss. When I think about that, it saddens me.

I know that there will come a day when my children wake up and just want to play in their rooms, talk to each other, skulk downstairs alone, or even dare I say it? I’ll wake up first?

These moments will come. I know it. Some days they might feel a long time coming, days with the 5.30 starts and the elbows in the face. But I know, just know, that these are the very best of days, of my days, and I need to cherish them and enjoy them whilst I’m privileged enough to have them.

They don’t stay little for long, they don’t clamour desperately for their mummy for long. When I’m older, I recognise these moments as the ones that I will want back, the ones that will fill me with the warm glow of nostalgia.

So do remind me, when I next face an early start and a Hulk on my nose, that these really are the very best of times.

Today I will be thankful for

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6 thoughts on “At the Start of My Day”

  1. Awww I get you. I am still woken every morning between 5.50 and 6am by my 10 yr old. Thankfully she doesn’t get into bed with me any more but we are using a junior bed in our room for her. It means we get a lie in until 7am at least, although it’s not ideal. The 5 year old still comes in for a cuddle most mornings (around 7) but the 8 yr old has to be woken up, she’s always been a good sleeper and likes her lie in. So, yes, it may be a pain some mornings when all you want to do is grab an extra five minutes sleep, but it is (generally) something that disappears with age.

  2. Enjoy those early morning moments….
    It’s very rare now for my girls to wake me up and even rarer that I get a snuggle in bed in a morning with them….If they happen to wake before me they go into each others rooms to watch TV or sneak downstairs to get their tablets or laptops.
    It’s rubbish that kids have to grow up….hehehe

  3. Enjoy them! They really are the best times. There will definitely come a time when you wake up first! After years of waking up early with the kids, I now find it impossible to sleep beyond 6. In fact, I’m usually awake before 5. Two of my kids are grumpy nightmares to wake in the morning. If it wasn’t for me nagging, they would never even get out of bed. So enjoy this while it lasts!

    1. I will, thank you! It is nice not to have to get them up..I suppose! I know I’ll miss the cuddles.

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