While there are lots of online articles touting all you can accomplish by waking up at 5AM there are very few that address how to make the most of that hour when you are up with a baby or a toddler.
First of all, snaps for the baby or toddler that wakes up ready to go at 5 AM. They aren’t hungry, nothing is wrong, they just wake up with the energy it would take me six shots of espresso to muster at this point. Good for them; this will serve them well later in life. Now, typical parenting articles will tell you to enjoy and relish this time together and while I agree with that, I can also say these are a lot of hours. Why not find some enjoyment and fun beyond just rolling a ball back and forth and trying to keep the noise down while others snooze these hours away?
1. TV For You
Reserve this early hour with your baby in tow for watching all the shows you can’t watch late at night because you have a 5 AM human alarm clock. Watch that episode of The Bachelor from last night, binge a comfort show on Netflix, or in my case I watched every Judd Apatow movie with my baby in one-hour segments in the morning. I’d laugh, he’d laugh, I’d recount early ‘00s humor to friends over texts during the day and they would laugh. Win-win-win.
2. Make a Google Maps list.
Type “open now” in the Google Maps search bar and see what pops up. You might find a coffee shop, international grocery store, or breakfast spot you never noticed before. Check them all out. Invite other friends with early bird children to meet you at the coffee shop patio at 5:45 AM because all of you and the sun are up. Grocery stores open surprisingly early, usually 6 AM. My son and I have gone and watched them make sushi or put out bakery items, resulting in entertainment and free samples.
3. Walk Outside
I was hesitant to put this one on the list as it is obvious. I’ve seen my fair share of coyotes, foxes, and skunks wandering suburbia before traffic picks up, hence while you’ll find me safely inside watching a movie.
4. Online shopping
While you are feeding the baby or the toddler is miraculously enraptured by a toy for 3 minutes you can place that online Amazon or grocery store order. Schedule a few things for the Target pick up and boom you have another outing if that’s what today needs.
5. Take Your Baby to Work Day
No, not literally, but I once heard Kate Kennedy of the Be There in Five podcast refer to the Skip Hop activity center as her baby’s office and now I can’t call it anything else. There is a sweet spot at about 5-10 months where this center would hold each kids’ attention for about 12-15 minutes. I was able to pull out my laptop and quickly do an Outlook inbox scan, work on planning out my week, or just take a mindless screen break.
In conclusion, yes, I am up with the sun, but my baby and I are bonding and I’m making the time more memorable for me. There are no early morning workouts, gratitude journaling, or slow time with a warm cup of tea but those days will be here soon enough.
-MEK
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