Morning Kiss

432 words

How to turn a precious morning into a great day
by Dianne Roth

Mornings are precious. Every single morning holds the possibility of becoming a great day, or just another collection of tough hours.

As adults we, more or less, have some say on how our days begin. A cup of hot cocoa with chili powder and a piece of homemade bread with good cheese, and I am off to a good start. It takes me just a moment to notice morning colors and morning smells before I climb into the car. That is about the same time it takes for me to set out on the wrong foot. If I go to bed late or stay in bed a minute too long, I miss those special morning moments. When that happens, the whole day just doesn’t roll along.

With children in the house it is harder. Getting them to bed on time is essential to morning well-being. I had a rule, “If you cannot get out of bed in the morning, you must have gone to bed too late the night before.” Any hassles in the morning meant an earlier bedtime that night. That logical consequence made sense, even to my children.

Getting them out of bed smoothly was crucial. If you want it to be cozy, it takes a few extra minutes. It might mean a moment sitting on the side of each child’s bed to wake them up. Or, it might mean ignoring a behavior until after school, so you do not send them out the door with a negative comment.

Children walk through the door of my classroom and, with a glance, I can tell what kind of a morning it has been. Many come to class hungry, tired and cranky. There is little that can be done at school to improve a day that started badly at home.

Once, while walking down the hall, I saw a boy from another first grade classroom. He was holding his cheek. Children will do this to hide bruises, so I was concerned. I turned and fell into his pace. I chatted and then asked, “Why are you holding your cheek?” He answered, “My daddy kissed me.”

I was completely taken by surprise. “Are you holding your daddy’s kiss?”

He told me, matter-of-factly, “I always hold my daddy’s kisses when it is rainy and windy outside.”

Without even meeting him, I knew this daddy was a master of the morning send-off. A few extra moments was all it took to turn a rainy, windy morning into a great day ...for a little boy, a first grade teacher, and now you.

Dianne Roth is a teacher, mother, grandmother, and freelance writer. She lives in Oregon.