Quality Mornings & A Giveaway

This is sponsored content by BlogHer and Kelloggs.

If Mary Poppins had paid a visit to our home during the last school year, she would have declared us "an abomination". Each morning, we tore around the house at full speed, throwing supplies into our kids' backpacks, and urging them to eat faster. What a way to start the day! We would all walk...okay, run...out of the door in foul moods and try to mend the parent-child bond on the way to school.

This school year, I was determined to make a change. The key is simple, something I always knew, but did not put into practice. Organization. Every night before school, the boys and I make their lunches and set them neatly in the fridge so that can easily be placed into the waiting lunch boxes in the morning. The boys are also responsible for organizing their desks and insuring that all of their homework makes its way into the appropriate folders and backpacks.

When we wake up in the morning, leaving ourselves plenty of time, the boys get dressed, make their beds, and brush their teeth before heading downstairs for breakfast. By the time they appear, my husband and I have started making breakfast, which typically consists of cereal, bagels or waffles, and fresh fruit. Whole grain, high-fiber foods are a focus at our breakfast table since research shows that diets high in fiber help to address issues such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. For this reason, we choose cereals such as Raisin Bran and Smart Start.


With a hearty breakfast giving us the proper nutrients and energy for the day ahead, we spend our last few minutes together playing on the swings, shooting hoops, or kicking the soccer ball back and forth. The result? Happy, healthy kids and relaxed, stress-free (well, almost) parents. I think Mary Poppins would approve.

For a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, please answer the following question in the comments section:

"How do you start the day on a positive note?"

Please, no duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US Residents aged 18 and older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail, so please be sure that you leave an email address.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Please head to the BlogHer.com Kellogg exclusive offers page for 24 additional chances to win a $100 Visa gift card.

This giveaway will run from 9/21 - 9/27/2010.

For more information on Kellogg's, head to www.loveyourcereal.com.

Please see the official rules for this giveaway.

Mom’s Breakfast Club was started to help educate moms and families about kids’ cereal and share the scoop on their nutritional benefits and ingredients. To learn more about the program, visit www.loveyourcereal.com.