Routines and schedules

United States
February 24, 2008 1:09pm CST
SAHM's- do you have routines and schedules that you follow each day, or do you just fly by the seat of your pants, so to speak? I have routines for some parts of the day, such as early in the morning, nap time and bed time. Otherwise, we just do what we feel like. I try to vary our activities so my son doesn't get bored. 2 or 3 times a week we go out, either to the library or to visit my parents and in-laws, shopping, and other errands. So what are your days like? Whatever comes up, or a series of scheduled activities?
4 people like this
11 responses
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
24 Feb 08
Now that I work full time we have a routine here in our house, just because it is a busy house. My daughter likes having that structure. She knows what time means what. Sundays is the only day that is a little different then the rest. You can tell that she is off that day because her naps and eating is a little off. I like having a routine for me too because it helps me to get every thing done on a busy day. Most days are busy for me. When I didn't work we didn't have much of a routine just nap and eating times.
• United States
24 Feb 08
Yes, routines are helpful when things are very busy. Luckily, I get to stay home with my son and things are pretty calm. It allows me to be more relaxed with the routine.
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
24 Feb 08
I enoyed staying home for a while. Then I was ready to go back to work. My daughter is lucky enough to be with daddy in the morning and grandma for about 3 hours then back with me. She enjoys it and being at grandmas she gets to be around other kids (grandma watches her cousin too) I actually like working and being around others. Plus my daughter and I have a much better apperciation for eachother.
• United States
24 Feb 08
I have a five month old daughter she gets up at 9 and is ready for a nap about 11, she is ready for the bedtime rtoutine about 6 which means cereal read a book and a bath. Right now shes going through something where she wont let you put her down until shes in a deep sleep. That is very hard and aggrivating... Other than that she might get up once during the night I'll give her fourounces and she'll go back to sleep until 9
• United States
24 Feb 08
Sounds like a good routine. When my son was an infant I did have more of a routine with his feedings and such. It makes it easier. Now he just tells me when he's hungry.
@MGjhaud (23069)
• Philippines
25 Feb 08
I do keep routine things everyday. But just the morning and evening routine. My morning routine is have a coffee, lie down for a while and think a little. In the evening, I read books before turning off my head lamps. During day time, I do lots of things, it really depends on what's in my schedule.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
28 Dec 08
It's more of a scheduled day for me. But the activities for my kids vary but usually the time slot for it is the same. So, it's more like cooking and cleaning in the morning for me, and then an hour for my younger one's daily needs...and then an hour of any activity he wants to do, snacks, nap. It all has a schedule...especially since my older one is 8 and he has a fixed routine in place, I can't just let the little one do what he wants. I feel both my kids prefer some sort of routine even if it's not the same thing everyday. I work my errands also around this routine. It helps me be a little organized too...or else I can't function and tend to forget things I need to do.
• United States
26 Feb 08
We had more of a structured schedule when the kids were a little younger. Now my youngest goes to preschool 3 mornings a week. I try to keep us on somewhat of a schedule in the summertime- we usually do classes and/or appointments in the mornings and then play in the afternoon.
@bellaofchaos (11538)
• United States
25 Feb 08
I have a routine home for some things. In the morning the kids get up between 7:15am-7:30 am and they get dressed and ready for school Then they get on the school bus whwere they eat breakfast at school and do their school thing where I feed trina breakfast since she doesn't go to school yet and so I give her breakfast turn on noggin and I start dishes and she eats and watches noggin. the day progresses with some type of soup for lunch and me and trina usually have some time to do what ever we like for a while. At 400 the kids come home they then come in put away their shoes and jackets do their homework and then clean their rooms after that is done they can play and watch t.v. for a while until supper and then bed time is at 8 pm and then we start the whole day over again.
• United States
24 Feb 08
I am a mixed person when it comes to this. There are days when I set a routine and stick with it and then there are days when we just skate by. I like to take the kids out and do things with them. I am not a home body and my kids are getting that way as well.
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
24 Feb 08
Actually I dont do either....the day just goes as it goes..I know there are certain things that need to be done but I dont have a specific schedule to or list of how they get done...I wouldn't consider that flying by the seat of my pants though simply becuase my moods vary, my list of things to do varies and my time frame in which to get things done varies as well...I never wing it..I just dont always do it in the same order.. LOL does that make even a lick of sense?!
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
25 Feb 08
I use to have a routine but now that my son is in Kindergarten, I just go with the flow. The morning routine is the same though with getting him up and ready and out the door to catch the bus and then picking him up at the bus stop at 3.15pm. He has a play date either at his friends place or ours at least twice a week and other days we wonder down to the library or take a walk to the park weather permitting. I usually spread my "cleaning the house" chores throughout the week depending on my moods and how I feel :)
• United States
24 Feb 08
Well, I used to have a super tight schedule, then I realized that I was making myself nuts, because it did not allow for the "unexpected". So now, the morning routine is set, and the bedtime routine also. In between, we kind of just wing it. With five kids, I have found that I need a little variety in things or I start to lose my mind...
• United States
24 Feb 08
Well sillychick here is my routine: I wake up by the grace of God and get ready for work: shower, hair, dress. Wake the boys up so they can do the same, go to work, come home after a 7-hour day, get the kids to do their homework, get dinner started, straighten up house while dinner is cooking, after we eat, make the kids find their clothes for school and I find mine for work, watch t.v. for a little while, go to bed give my thanks for my many blessings, go to sleep then wake up and do it all over again. Sometimes things come up in between the routine but that is basically it :)