Picture this scenario: in the dead of night, you’re startled by a rustling sound in your room. As you attempt to clear the grogginess from your eyes, you realize it’s not an intruder but rather your energetic toddler. This fully awake, eager-to-start-the-day little one is clamoring for breakfast and your undivided attention, way before your alarm is due to ring. It’s a grueling experience, as anyone familiar with the torment of sleep deprivation can attest. Olivia Munn is currently grappling with this exact situation with her 2-year-old son, Malcolm. However, she has devised a strategy to navigate at least a portion of her newfound morning routine.
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The former Newsroom star, who co-parents Malcolm with her partner John Mulaney, recently shared a brilliant parenting hack to ensure a satisfying breakfast even on those mornings when you’re half-asleep and drained from tending to your early-rising child.
Early Mornings
“Malcolm is waking up so early (4-5am 😵💫) and wants to play immediately so we don’t have time to make a breakfast for ourselves,” Munn shared on her Instagram story.
Her solution? Prepare breakfast the night before! “So I’m making our breakfasts at night so we just have to heat them up in the morning,” Munn elaborated. She demonstrated this by cooking eggs and sausage patties in separate pans. In a subsequent video, she showcased the final result: “Homemade sausage egg and cheese McMuffins.” The protein-rich breakfast on an English muffin looked delectable, wrapped and ready in the fridge for the next morning. The mere sight of it is enough to make one’s mouth water!
While you could opt to cook in the morning amidst the chaos of a wide-awake, eager toddler, or subsist on dry cereal and rejected banana bits (the classic breakfast of champions!), Munn’s approach undoubtedly seems more appealing. A well-prepared breakfast can set a positive tone for the day, fostering a more enjoyable time with your child, even before the break of dawn.
Earlier this month, the Hit-Monkey actress demonstrated her commitment to cherishing life’s precious moments, such as refraining from frustration when her early-rising toddler seeks attention, through a heartwarming Instagram post. She posted a video capturing her son Malcolm’s infectious laughter and playful interactions in their backyard, preparing to splash around in an inflatable pool.
“If I knew earlier in my life that this magical boy would be in my future, I wouldn’t have worried so much about all the little things,” she tenderly captioned the video.
Parenting presents its challenges, but by embracing flexibility, adapting routines to accommodate your children’s evolving needs, and rolling with the punches, you’ll navigate the journey with grace.