DAYS HOME WITH DADDY

Let me just start by saying this: if mornings had a Yelp page, I’d give them a solid 1.3 stars. And that’s only because the sun comes up for free.

The dreaded morning schedule… whew. I’m nowhere near a morning person, and neither is Greyce, so our routine looks less like a peaceful family commercial and more like a live‑action sitcom with no laugh track to warn you when things are about to go left. One minute we’re giggling and having tickle fights, and the next we’re both questioning our life choices while dragging ourselves through the “routine” — and I use that word very loosely.

The nights before? Oh, those are easy. Predictable even. Home from daycare, a little play or TV time (soon to be replaced with our new “educational hour” because apparently we’re scholars now), dinner, bath, and bed. Simple, right? Except Greyce fights sleep like it owes her money. I have never met a tiny human who can be so exhausted yet so committed to staying awake. If she could unionize against bedtime, she would.

By the time I finally get her settled — let’s say around 10pm on a good night — it’s Daddy’s decompression time. Which is really just code for: cleaning the house like I’m auditioning for a cleaning product commercial no one asked me to film.

Then morning hits. And when I say “hits,” I mean it sneaks up on me like a villain in a horror movie. My alarm goes off at 5:30am… and then again at 5:39… and 5:48… and 5:57… until eventually I roll out of bed at 6:30, already behind schedule and already negotiating with myself like, “Do we really need to be on time today?”

Once I’m up, it’s time to wake Greyce — a child who will happily sleep 14 hours straight if I let her. From the moment I call her name to the moment we attempt to walk out the door, it’s pure drama. Instead of brushing her teeth, she wants to play with her Bluey puzzle. Instead of getting dressed, she wants to dance around the house like she’s headlining her own tour. And honestly? I respect the confidence, but girl… we gotta GO.

Thank God her daycare is four minutes away or we’d be living in a constant state of apology emails.

Every morning, the angel on my shoulder whispers, “Get up on time. Drop her off early. Be responsible.” Meanwhile, the devil on the other shoulder is like, “But have you considered… sleep? Because exhaustion is winning this fight.”

So to every parent out there just trying to make it through the morning chaos — keep going. You’re doing an amazing job, even if your hair is uneven, your coffee is cold, and your toddler is wearing mismatched socks because you gave up the fight.

Some mornings will feel smooth and magical. Others will humble you before sunrise. But you showed up. You kept moving. You kept loving. And that counts for more than you know.

The dreaded morning schedule may test your patience, your sanity, and your alarm clock’s durability… but it will not defeat you. You’ve got this. And if today wasn’t your day, don’t worry — tomorrow’s alarm will give you another chance to try again.