***Early Morning Blues - How To Get Up Feeling Cheerful and Happy You're Alive! O, and Them Too

Are you waking up listless?

Are you tired of of getting up wondering how you will get them out of the door peacefully?

You are not alone. Millions of parents get up every morning, knowing they will go into a struggle to get their kids out of bed, fed, dressed and ready to go to school. (Or to work, or to move out, but that is a different article all together!)

This anticipation is part of what sucks our energy away, even before you get out of bed. Which makes those wonderful extra ten minutes in bed so precious.

I have two simple suggestions to share that can change your outlook on starting your day forever.

1. Start your morning, as you wake up, with looking at what you are grateful for. When you look at your life through gratitude for what you have, your day is a lot nicer to jump into.

2. Think about what you like about your kids. Anything, from their smile, their talents, their drawings, stories, how they cope with struggles, how they are nice to grandma, friends, do sports, anything. What you like about your kids will make your heart sing a little, your face smile. When you wake them up with that smile on your face, in your heart, you will see them differently. And they will feel that too.

And even if you still have to push and pull, your load will feel lighter.

Try it for a week, be conscious of it as you see them and reflect how things went as they are gone. And do it again.

Because isn't it a lot nicer to be woken up by a parent who is grateful for life and smiles because she or he likes you?!

And it will be a nicer start of the day for you too.