Here is a tip that will make breakfast a little easier and a little less hands on for Mom in the morning.

It is such a simple solution that when I realized it (I actually stole the idea from a bed and breakfast I stayed at) I couldn’t believe it took me so long to figure out.

Here it is…buy one or two small sturdy pitchers (small enough for little hands to hold - I bought mine at T.J. Max for under $7). Fill the pitcher with milk or Orange Juice or water (whatever you use) in the morning (or the night before) and place the it on the table along with the appropriate (based on the number of people who will be eating) number of plates, bowls, spoons, cups, etc. that you will need for breakfast (I don’t set the table I just stack them on the table and allow the children to serve themselves). This can be done the night before (if you fill the pitcher before you go to bed you can keep it in the fridge until you need it and place it on the table in the morning) or in the morning before everyone comes down for breakfast. Next place whatever you are serving for breakfast on the table - if it is cereal you can place several cereal boxes on the table, or if it is muffins you can place the muffins, or bread, or oatmeal or whatever (you can do this with just about any type of food) - then when the children come down for breakfast they can serve themselves or have an older child help them if they are little.

Of course you may have to instruct them initially so that they know how much milk to use or how much cereal to pour or how many muffins they are allowed to eat, but after the initial instruction they will be able to serve themselves and leave you to tend to the baby or whatever.

 I started this right after Ben was born (as an experiment) so that I would have more time to nurse him and finish my quiet time and it has worked like a charm. And it is charming. The children love arriving in the morning to a table set with all the breakfast items out and ready for their consumption. Best of all it only takes me a few minutes to set up as opposed to how I used to do things which involved me getting up and down several times as each child woke in the morning. It also means that I don’t have kids with their faces crammed in the pantry searching for food or kids coming to me asking what is for breakfast or complaining because they can’t find anything to eat. Of course if you are an "old fashioned" family (which I would love to be) that actually sits down (everyone at once) to breakfast in the morning then my advice will seem silly to you, but for most of us...who live in homes were everyone is on a different schedule and we are all grabbing food as we can get it...making this little change might make your life a little less hectic.)

This morning I made crock-pot oatmeal  (I’ve never made crock-pot oatmeal before out of shear laziness). Yum! The aroma in the house this morning was nearly intoxicating. The oatmeal smelled so yummy that I might make it again just for the smell.