Early to Rise: Day 6 Adjust Your Attitude

Rise time . . . 5:40

 

This morning I set my alarm 10 minutes earlier in hopes of getting a little more time before kiddos wake up. As I write this post I've been up for 40 minutes without kids. I've gotten my first cup of coffee, had a devotion and prayer time, and read the short reading from Early To Rise: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days. I can honestly say that I don't feel like I've gotten up before six and I never thought I'd ever get up this early because I stay home with my kids everyday. When it comes to rising early, I have actually had an easy time getting up and this really surprises me.

 

 As I've already experienced in this challenge it is not going to always go the way I expect. In today's short reading in Early To Rise: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days the author discusses the fact that there are others in your house and you cannot control the time they get up. You can, however, still take the opportunity to make the most of the day. It really depends on your attitude. If your kids are little like mine, they won't understand they have to stay in their room and leave mommy alone. You can be prepared and have something they can do while you have some time, sort of, to yourself. Take that time to change what you wanted to do and maybe take the an opportunity to make some moments with your kids to cherish.

I spend more time with my 18 month old than my 2 and 4 year old. Having 3 little ones in general makes it hard to spend some one on one time with each of them. When my 2 year old woke up early the other day we snuggled on the couch and watched her favorite show while I finished up my blog post. It was really nice to start the morning with her. I was a little frustrated at first but then I took it as a chance to spend time with her alone I rarely get. My attitude changed about the moment I picked her up and said good morning. Because of my attitude change, we had a very nice morning.   

Chores, Kids, and Allowance

Now that my youngest is four we are seeing her want more responsibility around the house. We believe it is so important for kids to learn it from day one. For several weeks now we have been doing a simple chore chart. She has been super excited to complete the chores and put the stickers in the square. After the sticker is put on the chart she even asks what else she can do. Kids need to feel like they are contributing to their family. This may mean more work for me today but as she learns, there will be less for me to do. 

The chores she has are simple and things she has picked out herself. Some are done daily and some are done weekly. We have seven simple chores for her to do.

1. Morning cleanup
2. Evening cleanup
3. Put away clean clothes
4. Wash Dishes
5. Wipe table
6. Wipe bathroom counters and sinks
7. Sweep and mop tile floor in basement 
8. Vacuum 

 
With the chores we are starting to give her allowance. My husband and I agree that the allowance has to be earned. We want to teach them from the beginning to work hard and you'll get paid. The idea of a job and how important it is in the developing of character in our kids, is something that we feel is important to start teaching now. The more she does the more she will get paid. 

Each completed chore is worth 10 cents. Saturday we pay her and 10% goes in her piggy bank, 10% in a jar labeled church, and the remaining goes in a jar labeled spending. We have already taken a trip to target to see what she wants to save up for. In another week she will take her first shopping trip and buy something with the money she has earned.

Early to Rise: Day 5 Challenge

Rise time today . . . 5:50

Challenge is the topic of today's reading in Early To Rise: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days challenge. Boy has this been a major challenge for me, but not in a way you'd expect. We are on Day 5 and I still haven't had much of a morning to myself. Regardless of setting my alarm earlier everyday, one of my kids is up shortly after me every morning. Today I had almost 10 minutes before the first woke up. She was up an hour and half earlier than normal.

Day one, two, and three I had someone waking me up before my alarm clock. Day four, yesterday, I had about a half hour before my two year old woke up.

This is really frustrating because my husband is up early every morning and is not always very quite, but he doesn't wake up the kids. I am quite and tiptoeing every where and they wake up. I won't give up yet but I sure am feeling like there isn't much of a point if I am just sitting on the couch cuddling for an extra hour or so when I could be sleeping.

Early to Rise Challenge: Day 4

Today the alarm was set for 6:05 and I am proud to say I got right up. I am happy to say I had about a half hour before the first little munchkin woke up. Before she woke up I was able to have by devotion time in the stillness of our house. I am still planning on a goal of 5 or 5:30 by the end of the month.

Day 4 reading in Early To Rise: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days is so important to think about. Control is something I struggle with all the time. I worry about things I can't control and forget about the things I can. The past few months I have been trying to take more control over things I can. It has been easing a lot of stress in my life. Taking control of things like your morning rountine gets you off the hamster wheel you feel you are on and going no where. You are in control of your morning and not your morning controlling you.

Early to Rise Challenge: Day 2 and 3

Day two and three went about the same as the first day. Kids up at 6:30 when they usually sleep until 7:30-8:00. They seem to know I want a little time to myself in the morning and plan on sabotaging my efforts. Tomorrow I am setting the alarm for 6:00 and slowly extend that time back until I find the right time that will work for me.

Day 2 message from Early To Rise: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days talks about naming your alarm clock. Reading it you may think it sounds crazy but when you really take time to reflect on what the author is trying to say, it starts to make sense. When you are not a morning person the object waking you up become something you really don't like. When you stop hating the alarm clock and think of him as a friend, you start looking forward to your mornings and everything they might hold.

Day 3 message from Early To Rise: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days really spoke to my heart. As a mom of three I rarely get time to myself to do things that I really enjoy. Last week I got very little done because I had 2 kids cutting teeth. All my 18 month old wanted to do was cuddle. My 2 year old was a little more cranky than normal so the kids seemed to be fighting much more. This did not give me a chance to get anything done and by the time the kids are in bed, I am so exhausted I don't want to do much and I still have a husband who needs me.

Having that hour or two every morning just to do what I want and need is going to make me feel much better about what I've accomplished for the day. I will be selfish in the morning and take care of me so that I can better care for my family.

Adventures in Budgeting: Month Four

I am happy to say February was great in so many ways. We were under budget in many categories. I am finally feeling like we have control over the money and not the money controlling us. I feel much freer than ever before and so much more confident about our finances.

I am learning more and more how to juggle the money and spending on what we need instead of what we want. Our change of mind and attitude has made a huge difference in our checking account. We have spent about $500 less than we normally do by just asking ourselves whether our purchases are needs or wants and can we wait to buy this? We don't elimante all wants from our lives but instead decide what wants we can acutually afford and truely desire as a family.



This isn't easy. Watch a few commercials and you will be told that you need this car or this phone to be cool. Use your credit card and you can go anywhere or do anything. The problem is YOU have to pay for it. It's simple math. You can't spend more than you take in, if you do you will be broke and then some. Paying for things on the credit card or through loans will only have you spending more for something you could have saved for a few months and purchased with a discount.

As I look around at our neighbors and their brand new cars, boats, campers, snowmobiles, and four-wheelers I wonder how many actually own them. Our vehicles may not be brand new but we own them and never have to worry about someone else taking them from us if we don't pay. We feel like being "cool" is paying cash for things we want in order to stay away from being in debt to someone else.

Early to Rise: Day 1 Believe and Stand Up

Well this morning did not go as I had hoped. My alarm was set for 6:30 and my youngest decided to get up before six. Instead of some me time getting ready for the day we had an hour or so of cuddle time. At my point in life I can expect this and just hope that as this challenge continues I will start finding time in the morning for me.

In the past I have been one of those people who start something, do it for a few weeks, and go back to the old way. I have slowly been changing my life so I can be a better mom and wife. Starting this challenge is really a challenge to see if I can do it for the whole month. I know this isn't going to be easy as I've already seen on day one, but I can see the benefits of being up before my kids and taking time to prepare myself for the day.

Don't forget to purchase your copy of Early To Rise: Learn To Rise Early in 30 Days and join us in the challenge. Joing the conversation at moneysavingmom.com.