There are mornings that feel like a soft sunrise…
And then there are mornings that feel like a Category 5 meltdown in pajamas.
You know the ones:
Shoes suddenly “hurt.”
The backpack is “too heavy.”
Breakfast is “wrong.”
And the child who was totally fine last night is now dramatically draped over the couch whispering,
“I can’t go to school today.”
And for a moment—just a moment—you think:
Maybe we can just skip today.
Maybe life would be easier if I homeschooled them and we all lived on a quiet farm in Montana.
But here’s the truth we forget in the chaos:
A child who doesn’t want to go to school isn’t being difficult. They’re being human.
They’re overwhelmed.
They’re tired.
They’re growing at the speed of light and don’t know what to do with all those emotions.
And sometimes the only safe place to unload it… is right into your hands at 8:04 AM while you’re searching for the missing water bottle.
We tend to jump into fixing mode:
“Why don’t you want to go?”
“What happened yesterday?”
“You’re FINE.”
“Let’s go—we’re late!”
But half the time, the reason isn’t something they can explain.
They just need us to be the calm in their storm.
So instead of logic, give connection.
A long hug.
A slow breath together.
A quiet, “I know mornings are hard sometimes. You’re safe. I’m here.”
Kids don’t magically outgrow morning resistance.
They grow through it—because of the safety and steadiness we offer even when we’re running on cold coffee and 3 hours of sleep.
You don’t have to fix every emotion.
You don’t have to solve the mystery of why school suddenly became scary.
You just have to show them:
Home is steady.
You are loved.
And together, we can do hard things—even school mornings.
One calmer morning at a time.
Love
Rochel
A mother of 4 of the cutest children. I have seen the ups and downs in motherhood. Subscribe to this newsletter to hear my raw and honest thoughts on the joys and chaos of motherhood.
