Up until 2 years ago I lived by a schedule. When I was working, every minute of my day was planned. I love schedules and plans and activities to look forward to. But as soon as Ryann was born, my brain stopped craving the schedules, I blame it on the newborn slash survival days. No schedule was needed, I did what she cried for me to do. Ryann grew, put herself on a schedule and I followed her lead. But along the way I forgot about my own schedule, my own needs. I NEED A SCHEDULE.
I’m tempted to whip out an old lesson plan book, but I won’t go that far. I will go as far to write out a schedule, large {hang it on fridge} and let it take charge of my weekdays. I’m a master scheduler and planner. My lesson plans rocked and I need to implement that strength as to not lose more of my mind.
I’m looking for input and inspiration. What does your day look like? From wake up to bedtime; not specifically time, but activities and ideas and sanity savers.
And go!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I get up around 8 and eat breakfast/watch Sesame Street while Mommy showers and packs our bag for the day. We’re usually out the door by 10 – we head to Music for Aardvarks or the playground or the library or something like that for a morning activity. Then we have lunch and come home for a nap. When I get up, it’s snack time and then Mommy and I play – with my trains or my blocks or outside if it’s nice enough. When Daddy gets home we have dinner and then I get to play or go on a walk with him before bedtime (about 7:30).
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Thanks for your ideas and inspiration. Sounds like fun times too.
Well, my schedule is a little different since it includes drop-off and pick-up at day care every day. But I can tell you that my day would be a disaster without a schedule! Evenings are a little more set:
Get home around 5:45, give Laura a snack in her high chair while I prep dinner. Play. We eat as a family between 7 and 7:30. Play. Laura gets a bath to start bedtime around 8. She’s in bed by 8:30 or 9. After she goes to bed, I start on the housework I planned for that day (and sometimes a lot more)! And if it’s still earlier than 10, maybe a little TV. Bed for me by 10!
You’re a busy lady! Thanks for the inspiration.
I’m assuming you mean on days I’m home, correct?
I purposely get up before Aric in the morning to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee. When he gets up it’s breakfast then playtime in the playroom. He still takes a morning nap, so that’s when I shower and get ready for the day. When he’s up, it’s lunch time, then errands or something to get out of the house, even just walking around the mall. When he goes down for nap in the afternoon, that’s chore time (everything except vacuuming). Afternoon playtime/TV time is after (conveniently, Yo Gabba Gabba is on right after nap time, so he can enjoy a snack and milk before he’s fully awake while watching), followed by dinner and a trip to the park. After that it’s bath, book, bed time. He’s in bed by 7:30, which gives me time to head out for a walk/run, then spend the evening with my various hobbies.
As far as activities, we don’t do anything really structured. I’d love to get him into swim classes or music classes, but that’s not really in the budget right now. We just try and mix things up, try new parks, head to the mall when no one is there so he can run down the halls. Anything to keep a rambunctious toddler busy
I hope that was what you were looking for in a super long comment!
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This is helpful, thanks!
When I had Ava and was a SAHM, we really didn’t have a schedule. We just kinda were. That was probably a bad thing, but our day involved the gym, having lunch with dad at some point and really not much else. I’m not sure how I wasn’t dying of boredom…but I know by the time she was over 2 we were both ready to be at work and school. I guess that’s where it comes in to play that we should have been doing actual stuff…
We’re definitely bored, and it’s affecting both of us, so I must get out!!! I’m losing my mind inside.
i am not helpful because i really do lesson plan out my days.
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I hear you. Things changed when I had the kids, then when I lost my job. I think the biggest thing for me was more routine and a list. The routine is get up and showered before the kids get up and Hubby leaves for work. Then get the kids up and fed. I eat while they watch Sesame Street. Then we play, read books, sing songs, color, etc. for a bit. If it’s a preschool day, I take the one to preschool and the other to care. If it’s a free day, we might go somewhere like the park, zoo, lunch with daddy, something to get out of the house after morning snack. After lunch they have a little free play while I clean up then it’s nap/rest time at 1:30 to 3:30. Once up from they get snack, we play together then when Daddy gets home I start dinner and he plays with them. Daddy cleans up after dinner, we play a bit then it’s bath and bed at 7 pm. I’m usually fried by 9 and pass out myself. I find being flexible keeps me from getting frustrated about not being on schedule. I also keep a list of absolute must dos for the day so I don’t forget and thus get frustrated about being unproductive. Hope this helps some. The best things that helped my OCD and Type A tendencies was to come to terms with the fact that the routine is always changing, and that’s OK.
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