By Daniella GrayShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA 6-year-old boy from Atlanta, Georgia, has stunned internet users over how he gets ready for the week.
His mom, Nashira Betton, who goes by @missoliviadope on Instagram, walked viewers through the system her son, Ezra, uses to prepare for his entire week. First, he washes, folds and puts away his laundry, while also laying out outfits in a custom seven-drawer wardrobe labeled with the days of the week in both English and Spanish.
The routine began years earlier when Ezra was almost 3 after he watched his brother prep his own outfits. "Kids are natural observers; if they see a pathway to be included, they’ll jump in," Nashira, who turned 40 this week, told Newsweek. "I simply followed his curiosity and turned it into something fun and empowering."
...The routine has transformed their mornings. In Nashira’s words, Ezra is "Mr Grumpy Gills" in the morning, and the predictability of pre-planned outfits gives him the gift of extra sleep.
Without the scramble to find something clean, weather-appropriate or agreeable to wear, Nashira said Ezra's nervous system isn’t in overdrive. Instead, he eases into his day "in cruise control," which makes the morning calmer for everyone.
Nashira, who is also mom to 10-year-old Micah, said that the system reflects this parenting style: "Teach the process, not the panic." With so much of modern life spent rushing, clarity can be grounding for children, she added.
"When children have a clear process, they can shift into autopilot instead of stress," Nashira said. "Without a plan, mornings can spiral into chaos. There’s already enough ‘noise’ in their day; our mornings should be peaceful. Teaching the process empowers kids; teaching the panic overwhelms them."
Ezra’s morning routine has gone viral on Instagram, amassing over 688,000 views and thousands of comments.
"You are helping him prepare for a productive and organized life, great groundwork!" one user wrote. Meanwhile, another posted: "I know 36 year old men that don’t know how to do this. Kudos to the kiddo and mom."
"Lil man could offer adult classes. Great job mom," added a third.
A fourth commented: "This is the age to begin teaching routines and his confidence. This is amazing."
The viewer response to her reel surprised Nashira. As a single mother by choice who conceived both of her children through IVF with donor sperm, she intentionally has always shaped her parenting.
Watching her routine resonate with thousands feels "mind-blowing and deeply affirming," Nashira said.
"[It’s] healed a part of me I didn’t expect," she continued. "I’m just grateful."
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