Today, we’re diving into the topic of daily routines—something we all experience and often need to talk about. Since it’s such a universal part of life, having the right vocabulary to describe it naturally can be incredibly useful. In this post, we’ll follow the day-in-the-life story of a mom on maternity leave. While her routine is unique, the vocabulary you’ll learn is versatile and can easily be adapted to your own life. So, let’s jump in!
A Day in My Life: Navigating the Chaos with Two Little Ones
Since going on maternity leave, my days have taken on a rhythm of their own—equal parts structured and unpredictable. My mornings usually kick off (1) around 6:30, when my daughter wakes up bright-eyed and ready to go. She’s just turned one, so sleep-ins are a thing of the past. I roll out of bed (2), scoop her up, and we ease into the day (3) with some cuddles on the couch while I try to squeeze in (4) a quick cup of coffee.
By 7:15, my four-year-old son is usually up and about (5), full of energy and eager to play. While the kids potter around (6) with their toys, I throw together (7) a simple breakfast—something quick like oatmeal or scrambled eggs. My husband works from home, so he joins us briefly before diving into (8) his meetings for the day.
Around 8:30, I get my son ready for kindergarten. We go through the usual morning routine (9)—getting dressed, brushing teeth, and packing his little backpack. It can be a bit of a mad rush (10), but we usually make it out the door (11) by 9:00. Once I’ve dropped him off, it’s just me and the baby again.
The mornings tend to be the most manageable. My daughter usually goes down for a nap (12) around 10:30, which gives me a precious hour or so to tidy up, catch up on messages, or tackle a few chores. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, I can even carve out (13) a few quiet moments to read or just take a breather (14).
By lunchtime, she’s up again and ready to play. We often go for a walk or pop to the shops (15) if I need to pick anything up (16).
At 3:00, it’s time to pick up my son. Once we’re all home, the house shifts into a louder, more chaotic gear (17). The kids usually burn off some energy in the backyard while I prep dinner. My husband emerges from his office around 5:30, and we all sit down to eat together—though “sitting” is often more of a concept than a reality with two young kids.
The bedtime routine kicks off around 7:00. Bath time, stories, and lots of back-and-forth negotiations with my son, who’s always trying to stall (18) bedtime. Once both kids are finally asleep—hopefully by 8:30—I collapse on the couch, often too tired to do much else. My husband and I usually catch up on a show (19), talk through the day (20), or just sit in comfortable silence, grateful for a moment of calm.
It’s a full-on life right now, but one I know I’ll miss someday. Until then, I take each day as it comes.
| Word/expression | Meaning/synonym(s) | Example(s) |
| 1. to kick off (intransitive verb); also to kick something off | to start (especially in a lively, energetic, or structured way); also to start something | 1) My weekends kick off with a long walk and a coffee from the corner café. 2) We usually kick off the day with a quick team meeting before everyone gets down to work. |
| 2. to roll out of bed | to get out of bed (often slowly, reluctantly, or with some effort) | I usually roll out of bed around 7:00 and head straight to the kitchen for coffee. |
| 3. to ease into something | to start something off gently | 1) I like to ease into the morning with some quiet music and tea before checking my emails. 2) After returning from vacation, it took me a while to ease back into my work routine. |
| 4. to squeeze something in | to make time for something in a busy schedule | 1) I always try to squeeze in a short workout before the kids wake up. 2) She managed to squeeze in a quick phone call during her lunch break. |
| 5. to be up and about | to be out of bed and moving around | I’m usually up and about by 6:00 to get a head start on the day. |
| 6. to potter around with something | to fiddle with, play around with something | 1) I spent the morning pottering around with some old photos and organizing drawers. 2) He loves pottering around with his tools in the garage on weekends. |
| 7. to throw something together | to prepare or make something quickly and with minimal effort | 1) I threw together a sandwich for lunch because I was short on time. 2) We threw together a quick snack before heading out to the par |
| 8. to dive into something | to begin doing something with energy, focus, or enthusiasm | 1) I usually dive into my emails first thing in the morning. 2) After breakfast, she dives into her workout routine without wasting time. |
| 9. to go through a routine | follow, carry out a routine | Every morning, I go through my skincare routine before breakfast. |
| 10. mad rush | a period of intense hurry or chaos, often when trying to complete tasks or get somewhere on time, usually involving a lot of movement and stress; a flurry of activity | There’s always a mad rush to get everyone ready for school in the morning. |
| 11. to make it out the door | to leave the house | We need to make it out the door by 8:00 to catch the train. |
| 12. to go down for a nap | to take a nap | After playing outside, the kids went down for their naps early today. |
| 13. to carve something out | to make time for something | 1) I try to carve out time every evening to unwind before bed. 2) She carved out a couple of hours on Sunday to work on her hobby. |
| 14. to take a breather | to take a break, pause for a moment | After a busy morning, I like to take a breather with a cup of tea. |
| 15. to pop somewhere | to make a quick trip somewhere | 1) I need to pop to the store to grab some milk. 2) He popped into the office to pick up some paperwork before heading home. |
| 16.to pick up something / pick something up | to buy something | I need to pick up some milk on my way home from work. |
| 17. to shift into a chaotic/louder gear | (of atmosphere/activity level) to increase suddenly, becoming more energetic, noisy, or busy (like changing gears in a car to go faster) | 1) As soon as the guests arrived, the party shifted into high gear with music and dancing. 2) As the kids came back from school, the quiet afternoon shifted into a louder gear, filled with laughter and shouting. |
| 18. to stall something / to stall (intransitive verb – see example 2) | to deliberately delay or avoid something | 1) The student tried to stall the beginning of the test by asking unnecessary questions. 2) My daughter always stalls by asking for one more story or a glass of water before going to sleep. |
| 19. to catch up on (a show/series, etc.) | to watch episodes of a TV show that you’ve missed, or to continue watching a show you’re behind on | 1) I spent the weekend catching up on my favorite series after falling behind during the week. 2) We finally had time to catch up on the latest season of the drama we started months ago. |
| 20. to talk through the day | to discuss the events, experiences, or feelings from the day, often in a relaxed or reflective way | After dinner, we like to sit on the porch and talk through the day, no matter how busy it was. |
Practice
Exercise 1. Click the link here and match the phrases to their meanings.
Exercise 2. Click the link here and complete the sentences.
Exercise 3. Click the link here and choose the correct option.
We hope you found this article helpful, and that the next time you carve out some time for a breather, you’ll turn to this blog to make the most of those precious moments. Be sure to subscribe for more content like this every week!
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