morning music for you AND the kids

When our oldest was around 10 months old and it came time for his first Halloween, I can remember being a little surprised at the amount of people who were dressing up their young babies as the baby’s “favorite” cartoon character. We honestly did not watch any TV with him at that age and it seemed foreign to me that he would even enjoy it, much less have favorite shows and characters!

Flash forward a year and my second child absolutely watched TV daily and had clear favorite shows by that age. Probably younger! Maybe it was his older brother’s influence or maybe I realized there was no point in holding out. Most likely it was the fact that having 2 kids under 2 can require some distractions and TV is a click of a button away.

I am not here to tell you that any amount of TV is the perfect amount, that a certain age is the perfect age, or anything like that because I just don’t know. We do what we have to do to raise our kids and that’s that…no judgment here!

I AM here to tell you that my two struggle with listening/following directions and overall with having a nice attitude when they watch too much of it. During Sam’s terrible twos there were a few weeks here
and there where we felt the need to do a hard reset of his habits and cut the screen out all together for some time.

The more I read about it and the more we experimented, he really did seem to have an easier time potty training, at daycare, and with us during those “resets”.

But….this is the real world we live in and we weren’t looking to cut TV out 100%. I love family movie night and holiday specials and Disney so let’s not get carried away 🙂

I started to try no morning cartoons (not counting weekends, real world here, yall). So instead of the boys eating their granola bars and drinking milk in front of the TV we moved to, gasp, a table! How bad is it that we weren’t already eating breakfast at the table?! Hopefully you guys can relate but honestly what would moms from 50 years ago think of me…yikes.

It was such a pleasant change that I kept it up and we have been morning TV free for 3-4 months. They go straight to the table now! They don’t even stop for a moment in front of the family room and whine for a cartoon. Funny how quickly kids fall into a new habit—good or bad.

And since the TV never comes on, there is no dragging kids away from the TV and no kids moving at the speed of a slug to get their backpack or go brush teeth or put shoes on. No fits when it’s time to turn it off. Less rushing out the door. Less aggravated mommy.

It. Is. So. Nice.

Here is what keeps them (and me) entertained now—music! We sing, dance, learn new songs. Music is so feel good and they both are enjoying it! My not yet two year old will yell “Awewah! Awewah!” (Alexa, our Amazon Echo) in between songs because he is so ready for the next one!

I seriously dance around my kitchen with my kids every single morning and it makes me happy. Way happier than Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on repeat, let me tell you. And while they eat I pack lunch or empty the dishwasher or whatever it may be. I don’t have to wonder about them because instead of being in the next room with the TV, they are at the table or with me in the kitchen dancing.

This was a game changer!

Because I can only handle so much “Let It Go,” I have them listening to regular music and usually not kid designated stuff. So if you want your morning jam sessions to lift your mood as well as theirs, here is our
current mix of options that won’t drive you nuts:

Bread and Butter – The New Beats ( my kids did learn this from a WalMart commercial, so yes, we still watch plenty of TV lol)

Happy – Pharrell Williams

September – Earth Wind and Fire

Life is a Highway – Rascal Flatts (sorry to whoever sang this first– they like the Cars version)

Blackbird – The Beatles (oh the irony that this is also from a TV–their fav movie Baby Boss and now adopted bedtime song)

No Rain – Blind Melon

Watermelon Crawl – this is a wild card I guess but a favorite at our house

Thunder – Imagine Dragons

I’m A Believer – The Monkees (Or Smash Mouth, but I’ll take the Monkees!)

Forever and Ever Amen – Randy Travis

Africa – I am liking the Wheezer cover!

Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader

The Sign – Ace of Base

And FYI I am a lover of all things holiday so this month we’ll add The Monster Mash, Thriller, and I Put a Spell on You, obviously.

Leave me a comment on your or your kid’s favorites!