This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Folgers. All opinions are 100% mine.

As moms, we travel our children’s stages with them. There is no separation of them and us for many years. And then, a miraculous thing happens. Independence.

There is hope, mamas. There really is a light (maybe brief) at the end of the sleep deprived, tantrum filled years of motherhood. The beginning is full of sweet new baby smell, and long nights full of feedings-for many of us anyway. Then your child grows and they suddenly not only have a mind of their own, but they try to use it, often against you.

My 8 year old has reached an age where he knows our morning routine as well as me. In fact one night as I was tucking the older two into bed after the twins fell asleep, I told my 5 year old, “You are the best helper.” She smiled in the dark of her room and snuggled into me as I kissed her forehead.

My 8 year old then looked at me quizzically. I knew he was thinking about how to ask what was on his mind. Then it came out: “You just told her she was the best helper. What about me?”

It was a moment that pulled at my heart as because I try to teach my children that my love for them is equal, but they each have different strengths.

I am not sure if it was the right thing to do, or not, but I said, “You are the supreme helper. You know exactly how to do all the things that I do every day. You know when to do them and I don’t even have to ask.”

His face lit up, and he said, “That’s because I have seen you do it all a thousand times!” I immediately felt like a successful mom. All the days of routine and same-ness piled up together were learning experiences that resulted in a kid that knows what parenting looks like, what caring for little ones looks like, and what love looks like.

It was that gold star moment that happens every now and then for us moms, but sometimes in the rush of the day-or night-we may miss it.

Every morning I head downstairs with the kids by 6:30am. Occasionally, and it is so rare, but wonderful, they may all go downstairs together and I get just a few more minutes to rest. It is so nice even if it is really only a minute or two.

The first thing I do every…single…morning, is make my morning coffee. It is my routine to get my morning coffee as quickly as possible, and the other day, my preschooler sat up on the counter and asked me how to make it. I, for a moment, thought selfishly, “I will of course show you how, so that maybe one day you can make me a cup!” Maybe that is too much to ask for, but maybe on Mother’s Day…a girl can dream.

I grabbed the Folgers instant coffee and let my preschooler scoop the coffee granules out of the container and talked her through carefully pouring them into my cup. It is such a time-saving way to get my morning coffee that I keep Folger’s instant coffee on hand, in the pantry usually for an afternoon pick me up on those days.

We added hot water, and after telling her about stirring gently and warning her that the water was hot, she stirred my cup of coffee on her own with a grin on her face like she was about to give me a gift. (She really was!) Folgers instant coffee is actually a great product for teaching my daughter how I make my morning coffee because it was so easy for her to help.

When you’re tired, you don’t need complicated steps to getting that great hot cup of morning coffee! Plus, there are so many ways to jazz up instant coffee simply with Folgers Recipes  

My daughter added a little sugar and poured in the half & half-all with a little help-then stirred again to combine it all. She was thrilled to be making this for me-as simple as it was.

Our every-day routine is not dull, or boring or monotonous, it is educational, comforting and secure. Making a cup of Folgers Instant coffee is such a small detail, but it matters to me, and so even my preschooler made it matter to her. Helping mommy start her morning, doing something kind, it made her happy.

I am glad for our little moments. The times the kids and I are together sharing memorable moments that cost us nothing. A simple cup of instant coffee turns into mother-daughter bonding time…just a moment that starts the morning off on a positive note. And you know what, the rest of the day went well for her too.

Maybe she is finally over the “defiant stage” that happens from 3-5 years old (at least it happens in my house). Maybe she at 5 years old is finally recognizing all that I do in a day-and have been doing in the daily routine-since she was a baby, 1000 times over again. Maybe she just wanted to make me feel loved. Maybe all of the above.

I think there is realization around 5 years old, a light that goes on for our kids that helps them realize all that we do each day-for them, and ultimately, years from now, for us too-fostering love through our simplest actions.

The cups of morning coffee you chug down to start your day, every little moment in your daily routine that you walk through a thousand times like it is a box to check off in order to feel like being a mom matters. It really does.

What moments in your day seem small, but you know they have a big impact on your children? Leave a comment below.