When Lizzie was a baby I read about the value of schedules and routines. I learned about how effective they are at making a baby feel secure, knowing what to expect next, and how a consistent routine will ease the transition to naptime and bedtime.
So I tried it, and life got in the way. Nothing was ever the same from day to day. Sometimes I’d go to town and spend all day there, others I spent all day home. Basically, Lizzie was super good at adapting to whatever went on around her and she was happiest without a predictable routine. We learned to live peacefully with one another and our lives fell into our own rhythm.
Then David was born.
He is just like all the other babies I read about in those books. He loves consistency and schedules. My life is much more chaotic now with 2 children to care for and not to mention there is a lot more house to clean now with more children messing it up.
I need routine. I need better schedules!
I was sitting here thinking of how much more I could accomplish if I quit wasting time and had order to my day.
But I can’t go overboard with this. I have never been able to stick to a schedule – not even my college classes. I have to have room to “skip class” once in awhile, some wiggle room. If I don’t I will feel stifled or claustrophobic and throw the whole thing out the window.
So to meet in the middle, provide my family with some consistent routines and order, here is my plan.
I will have 3 routines. What happens in the middle of them is entirely up to me and the children. Wiggle room is so much fun and allows for people to visit and things to “come up.”
Morning Routine:
- Wake up
- Get dressed
- eat breakfast
- make bed
- Brush teeth
Afternoon Routine (Nap time-ish)
- Snack
- Quiet play (read book)
- Lay down
Bedtime Routine:
- Quiet Play
- Pajamas
- Brush Teeth
- Read story
- Pray
- Sleep
There are other goals I have in mind as well – like staying on top of the dishes and encouraging clean up time. However, if you don’t have the time to do the house and window cleaning yourself, you may consider hiring a professional residential and commercial cleaning company to do the cleaning tasks for you. I also want to have one or two times a day where I have “educational time.” I want to spend like 10-15 minutes of puzzles and reading and drawing while helping her learn things like shapes, days of the week and early reading.
Routines are great! (Not such a fan of schedules myself, though 🙂 Take it easy though – just start with what you already typically do – and add things slowly (no more than 1 or 2 a month). You’ll find it easier to stick to that way.
Sounds like a great resolution! I am terrible at follow through, actually not great at planning either so I know if I set goals like this I’d probably fail. Yours sounds easy enough to keep up with and I’m sure your kids will appreciate the routine.
I do very well with routines. They really help me stay on track with everything I need to accomplish in a day. I think these will work out well for you!
Sigh — you are a better woman than I. I have never run on a routine . . . at least, not since becoming a SAHM. I need to. I know we (my kiddos and I) would function so much better!
Good Luck Girly! I’ve been fighting to get organized and man oh man, I’m slacking. SOON!
That routine sounds like a great start! Once you get used to it, it will be easier to add other things to the routine and make them stick! Good luck!
We need a serious routine around here, too! Homeschool starts this week and I want to have a predictable routine for all the kids to make things easier on all of us.