Today I’m giving you a peek into what a typical weekday summer morning / early afternoon looks like with four little ones — all six and under.
If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember:
- Episode 151: Our school year morning routine
- Episode 178: Our evening routine
And today? We’re talking about summer mornings, which have a totally different flavor — slower in some ways, but somehow more chaotic too
Mornings Begin Before the Coffee
My day usually starts between 5:45 and 6:15am, not because of the baby (who is mostly sleeping through the night now), but because of… the cat. He’s hungry and loud and beats my coffee maker to the punch most mornings.
Once I’m up, it’s go-time:
- Feed the cat
- Scoop the litter box
- Prep a sippy cup of milk for my 2-year-old
- Make the baby’s morning bottle
- Pour my own coffee
- Read for a few quiet moments in bed (if I’m lucky!)
Then the baby is up. And the rhythm begins: diapers, bottle, breakfast.
Breakfast Happens in Shifts
With four kids, breakfast is… a dance.
- One wants toast and eggs
- One wants yogurt with granola and honey
- The baby insists on grapes and blueberries
- The toddler only wants crackers
Sometimes we’re all at the table. Sometimes it’s a rotating buffet. It’s not elegant, but it works.
Laundry, Teeth, Math, Repeat
While the kids eat (or, don’t), I always start a load of laundry. If I don’t do one first thing, we drown in clothes the following day.
After breakfast:
- Brush teeth
- Kids change into swimsuits
- Two-year-old uses the potty
- Baby goes down for a quick nap
- I throw on gym clothes, deodorant, and makeup
- Kitchen gets tidied (quickly)
Then I squeeze in a bit of homeschool math with my 5- and 6-year-olds — about 10–15 minutes. Meanwhile, my 2-year-old is outside with chalk, ideally not eating it.
Pool Prep & Departure
Around 9:30am, we start packing up:
- Water bottles
- Iced coffee in my thermos
- Snacks
- Towels
- Wet bag
- Diapers, wipes, backup underpants for the toddler
- Double-check the pool bag
- Switch laundry into dryer, maybe start another
And by 9:40am, we’re out the door.
My Favorite Part: Community Center Mornings
Our local community center has become the heartbeat of summer mornings.
- The older three meet our amazing babysitter for private swim lessons, back-to-back
- While one is in the water, the other two get free swim under her watch
- I check the baby into childcare, and I get an hour to work out
- It’s quiet, it’s sacred, and it keeps me sane
The Post-Swim Shuffle
At 11:00am, I meet the babysitter back at the pool:
- Two kids are usually done
- I dry and change them
- The baby, those two, and I head home
The babysitter stays behind with the last child, gets them changed, and drives them back by noon.
Lunch, Naps & Laundry (Again)
Once we’re home, it’s a mash-up of:
- Lunch prep
- Kitchen reset
- Diaper changes
- Naps (maybe)
- Snack platters for post-camp — usually fruit, veggies, cheese
- Tossing swimsuits and towels into the dryer
👙 I do a quick-dry cycle for swimsuits/towels on Mondays and Wednesdays, and a full wash on Fridays. Once a week feels like enough… right? (Let me know if I’m wrong.)
The toddler sometimes naps. The baby is flexible and naps wherever — but her afternoon crib nap is key for both of us.
Reset, Camp Prep, and Coffee Shop Time
Once everyone’s home and fed:
- I shower and get dressed
- The babysitter helps repack camp bags with fresh snacks and water
- I drop the older two off at afternoon camp (1–4pm)
- Babysitter stays with the littles and helps me fold laundry
By 1:15pm, I head to a coffee shop to work.
From Chaos to Focus (For a Minute)
This is the part of the day that feels like mine. It’s not long, but it’s precious.
At the café, I:
- Zero out my inbox
- Plan podcasts & blog posts
- Schedule & plan & family calendar-ing
- Or… just sit and stare at the wall with a latte
I’m home by 3:00pm, baby’s usually up, and we spend a little time together before I wake the 2-year-old for 4:00pm pickup.
Afternoon Reset
After camp pickup, it’s either:
- Outside play, if it’s not too hot
- Or a movie with a snack plate
The kids take turns picking the movie. It doesn’t happen every day, but it’s a great way to decompress from a full morning.
Towels are re-folded, restocked in the pool bag, and we’re ready to do it all again tomorrow.
Final Thoughts
So that’s our typical weekday summer flow — it’s full, it’s loud, and honestly? It’s beautifully structured chaos.
Five years ago, I had one toddler and felt completely overwhelmed. Now there are four. And somehow, it’s not easier… but I’m more equipped.
Our systems anchor me. Even when I feel like I’ve been hit by a train, I know the rhythm is there. Even in the chaos, there’s beauty. (And a lot of wet towels.)
If You’re In It Too…
To every parent in the thick of it — with babies and toddlers and snack wrappers underfoot — just know:
- You’re not alone
- It’s hard
- It’s holy
- It’s both
Someday we’ll look back at these weekday summer mornings and think, how did we do that? And yet — we are doing it. One morning at a time.
Thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes peek, I’d love for you to share it with a friend who’s in this same season 💛