Easier Mornings

When I was a kid, I loved to play cards. Not crazy eights, old maid, or poker. I loved canasta and carioca. This lead to my rather impressive ability to shuffle cards, which still seems to make my in-laws think I'm a card shark pretending to be a gin rummy novice. In my defense, I've never played gin rummy before, but it turns out that it's not entirely unlike canasta, which I played for yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeears!!! So the next time I win, that's why :-)

On the Huffington Post, Elisa Taub posted a technique on making mornings with her family run smooth. She was constantly having to remind her kids to brush their teeth, get dressed, make their beds, and so on. This, needless to say, got old. So, she started the Breakfast Club. It's an exclusive club where Elisa has something fun like a card game or simple art project every morning. The caveat: members will only be accepted for entry if they have finished their morning routine and eaten. Now her kids, who are perfectly capable of getting themselves ready for school, do just that. They're ready sooner, and no stress on the part of their poor parents who are likely having a hard enough time assembling themselves if they're anything like me. Even better, another chance for quality time with their brood. These years don't last forever. Might as well make them count.

However you feel about the Breakfast Club, I'll tell you that the simple act of playing cards or sharing some family time is so valuable. We don't always appreciate how much nicer it is than sitting down in front of the TV or computer, but it is because it requires so much more socializing.

I'm just saying.