Sure, you might have always liked coffee, or even loved it, but did you really know you needed it until you became a parent? Sure, coffee is a crutch for so many parents. Is that such a bad thing? In moderation, coffee is absolutely fine, and for most of us, it’s those early days of parenthood when we find out that coffee is, well…a lifeline!
This is a partnered post.
When your kid decides 2am is playtime
Woken up at 2am? Maybe it’s time for your beloved baby to feed. They might need changing, or they may need a little bit of reassurance from mom or dad before they doze back off. You don’t begrudge a little middle-of-the-night wakeup call, right?
Well, what about those days when it is not for a feed or a change, your kid has decided that 2am is time to play. You can’t always get them back to sleep no matter how hard you try. Time to get the coffee on. Some kids get in bad routines, and most will have a spell where they don’t sleep at the same times you do. Actually, you will be lucky to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep in those early months.
When you need to get through work
“Sure, it’ll be good to get back to work” or so you thought.
Getting back to work can be really enjoyable, and if you’ve got childcare then it is totally doable once your little sprite reaches a certain age. But be aware that those early days back in the office are going to be…gruelling.
Not only are you out of the rhythm of the 9-5, you’re probably out of sync with the rest of life too. Unless you’re one of the lucky few who does manage to get a good level of sleep with their baby in tow, you probably haven’t been getting sufficient rest.
Yes, it’s time for everyone’s favorite helping hand, caffeine! Coffee in the office can give you a much needed 10 minutes of rest here and there, but it can also bring you back to your senses and make you alert for the rest of that working day.
When your friend suggests meeting for a drink
Sure, you can meet for a drink, but do you want it to be the alcoholic kind when you’ve got to return to your little one and hope they sleep through the night? Even if you have a very understanding partner, it’s not likely that you will want to face a hangover!
It’s time for the sophisticated period of your life…meeting for coffee! You can even become a connoisseur, and you won’t regret it the next morning. Instead of meeting your friends at the bar, meet them at the coffee shop, and you can even take a little one with you for a babycino.
When you’ve powered through the night, but you still have jobs to do
It’s okay for a baby! Baby can go to sleep whenever he or she desires. So, if you’ve been up all night, it might be that your little one finally crashes in the morning. That’s fine if you can sleep, too. In fact, it is a good idea to get sleep at the same time as your baby, as it is a great way to maximize your rest.
But what about the days when that’s not possible? What if the plumber is coming or you know you’ve got a work call? Yes, we’re sorry, but we’re going to recommend caffeine again. Of course, you need to get to sleep just as soon as you can, but those days when you just need a little boost, they might have you reaching for the coffee machine!
When you finally get a day to yourself
Finally. It’s not that you don’t adore your little one, but it sure is nice to get a day to yourself. If a young one has been handed to grandparents for a day or two and you’ve finally got time to have a life yourself, what do you want to do with it?
Well, I’m going to warn you now, if you have not made another plan, I can tell you what you’re going to do with your day; sleep.
That’s fine, if you want a duvet day. You’ve surely earned it. However, you probably have a whole lot that you want to get done. It’s a shame if your day is dominated by the fact you’re a bit sleepy, so try and regain some routine and get a coffee inside you. That morning coffee can make all the difference and get you out and about. Being a parent is absolutely wonderful, and rewarding, but if there’s ever a time to arm yourself with the comfort (and caffeine boost) it’s probably now.
There is even more great content for new parents on the site, so check it out!
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Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!