How scheduled are you?
How scheduled are you with your kids and home life schedule? I’ve met mothers who have their kids on a very tight schedule where they wake at the same minute each day, eat meals within minutes of the same time each day, ditto on naps, outings and playtime.
FACT: Children do function extremely well on a schedule. When they are learning to understand their world and many things are uncertain a schedule can bring comfort because it means there is more predictability and therefore, certainty.
I keep a relative schedule with Noah but it isn’t too tense. We don’t get up at the same minute each day, but more like, within an hour of the same time. He takes a nap about two to three hours after he wakes up, so that means maybe ten o’clock but also maybe eleven thirty. I still nurse him whenever it seems convenient for me and necessary for him. So, eating isn’t really scheduled at all with the exception of morning time, he nurses first thing in the morning and last thing at night before bed. He does nurse in between a few times and also has a small meal of cereal and some baby food vegetable.
I think I can afford the luxury of unpredictable days because I’m not working outside the house right now but I certainly am trying to get more scheduled, if not for the baby’s comfort for my own. I need to get more sleep because I’m exhausted each day and I need to fit in time for exercise. If I knew Noah was going to nap at the same hour each day I could plan better and use my time more proactively.
Scheduling, it’s a goal.
What about you? How tight are you scheduling your kids? Do you schedule everything or just nap and meal times?
June 16th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
[...] to it, baby! by Stacy Ochsman Just a few days ago when I wrote this entry about keeping your family and kids on a schedule I was trying to work out my own choices of late. [...]