Are you a scheduler? Do you order your days and organize your time?
As a homeschooling family, I feel following a schedule helps keep our days flowing smoothly. My children know what to expect, and they aren’t kept guessing at what is coming next. Even before we started homeschooling I organized my days around a simplistic schedule. It helped me to feel less stressed. I accomplished more. And my little boys knew what to expect.
Years ago our simple schedule looked something like this:
Rise and Shine: 7:30 give or take a half hour (I didn’t stick to this strictly sometimes we just needed sleep)
Snuggle time
Breakfast: 8:00
Play time/Cleaning
Lunch: 12:00
Play and Pick up
Naps/Quiet time: 1:30
Outdoor play/video
Dinner Prep: 4:00
Dinner: 6:00
Family time: 7:00
Bedtime: 8:30
There is one specific area of our daily routine that I stuck with pretty faithfully. I didn’t alter it much or often. It helped me keep my sanity and kept my children from melting down into whining, mega-monsters.
Our bedtime routine.
Each night at 8:00 I would begin getting my boys into their pajamas and brushing their teeth, getting them a sip of water and having them go potty. I would start with the youngest and work my way up. As I finished with each child I would place them in their bed with a book or small toy. The exception was the baby who was then taken into the nursery, nursed, sung to and placed lovingly into bed. Next I would head into the older boys room and read them a story book or two. We would chat a bit about tractors or cowboys or whatever was forefront in their little minds. Finally we would pray, ending with hugs and kisses. Their dad would also come in telling them to have a good night sleep and give them a hug and a kiss. We would turn off the light and remind them not to get up out of bed.
This routine done faithfully every night helped my boys know what to expect. It warded off whining and arguments over bedtime. Since we always did it this way, they knew nothing else. Plus, it helped me to keep my cool. Usually by 8:00 I was anxiously awaiting a few moments of quiet. If I had to cajole or argue my children to bed, I would have been one ferocious momma.
These days I’m herding a 13, 11, 8 and 4-year-old off to bed, but the routine hasn’t really morphed that much. Yes, my boys can get themselves ready for bed and they do stay up a bit later, but we still start our routine about a half hour before bed. There are stories read and quiet conversations, a time of prayer and hugs and kisses all around.
And through it all, this momma keeps her sanity and that’s worth every bit of our routine!
Hi Jenn,
Your schedule looks very much like ours. Flexibility is Sooo key with a schedule and it looks like you’ve got it. In addition to the bedtime routine, I would add the afternoon rest time routine. I warn my boys about 2:30 to have something in mind to do for that hour and a half. They may read/look at books, listen to audio books, or just do something quiet on their beds like drawing. Without that afternoon quiet time I would never get my writing done and I don’t think I could make it to dinner time.
Schedules! They keep a mama sane, I tell you! I happen to love them! Although my youngest is now 11 and bedtime routines are simply hugs and kisses, planning our days in something she actually helps me with now! Every now and again, that schedule gets shoved to the wayside and even she experiences regret in what didn’t get done that day.
We’ve kept a routine pretty regularly, too. Let me tell you… it’s our Caleb who keeps us to it.
We “have to” read the Bible… kneel to pray… cover up with the blanket (no matter how hot)… sit at the end of the bed and sing “Building up the temple” (with the motions), ending with hugs (squeeze harder!),kisses and three little pats on the back or leg.
Pretty much in said order. If we forget – any of those steps – uhmmm, he’ll be back down the steps – asking.
He’s too funny.
Routine is definately a wonderful thing.
Great post! I’m a empty nester now….my children are grown and walking their own walk with the Lord now and living out their own testimony before Him. But, I remember those days of motherhood and being swamped with everything and everyone requiring my undivided attention….whew – not enough hours in the day, I’m tellin’ ya!! Organization was (and still is) what kept my sanity on most days. And YES, I always tried to reserve ME time and always tried to set time aside for prayer and spending time with Him (a must)! From a mom who lives to tell about it (lol), I whole heartedly agree! Organization, lists and schedules….try it, you’ll like it!!!
Very great post! I am a routine person! It has been so hard to get into one with 2 small ones. I try to have my son in bed by 8:30 or laying down. He rarely goes onto bed. When my husband gets home he has to go in there and lay with him a few minutes. This part of the day stresses me out very much…. Any suggestions?
My daughter will be 3 in Sept and I have a 14 mo old. Schedule is nearly the same! I love routine and think children thrive in an environment that is predicatable. Some of our family tend to think we’re crazy but it truly works! A well rested child is (usually) a well behaved child. (At least easier to train up.)
What kind of bed time routine do you have Michelle?
Heather,
How old is your son that is giving you trouble with bedtime?
That time of the day is SO difficult on us momma’s. Usually we have had a really full day and by that time we are tired, ready for some quiet and fighting to get a child into bed can just stress us to the max!
With our children we have been very firm with our bedtime routine. We need to, to help keep our sanity!
If they push the limits set then we punish them. Getting out of bed is one of those areas where we don’t put up with a whole lot. Once in bed they are required to stay there.
When my children were first learning this there were nights I sat outside there door and if they came out I just got up and took them back to bed. I wouldn’t say anything just place them back in bed, even if it took many times. If this failed to work (like for my strong-willed child) I or my husband would spank.
You may have to deal with crying and possible fit throwing if your son is not used to going to bed on his own, but it will help you achieve more peace in your household if you can be firm about bedtime.
You could also incorporate a sticker/reward system. If he can go to bed and stay there, then in the morning he can place a sticker on a chart. After so many stickers reward him with a treat. A trip to the ice cream shop or whatever you choose.
Hope these suggestions help.
Jenn
Our routine is pretty much the same every night, but I need to be more consistent about bedtime being the same time every night. It varies a lot, especially in the summer. That can be OK as long as we don’t do too many times in a row (as you witnessed this week
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Ha! I just commented as you! How funny!