Do you believe your child/children should be on a schedule?

I have always found that kids and even myself do better with a set schedule to follow. They know what's expected of them, when things are going to happen and it gives them stability. We had a little girl back when we were foster parents that went completely out of control if you took her off her schedule. A friend of mine had a baby and was soon having a second...she asked my advice. I told her get them on as close of a schedule to each other as possible. Change them, feed them, bathe them, put them down for bed and naps together...whatever she could do for one, do for the other. It made things alot easier on her and now that she has 3 she says it's alot easier doing it for all three then doing them seperately. [b]~~MY OWN PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF** [/b]

First of all I would like to congratulate you because you are such a wonderful mother. I am sure your children will thank you when they grow up because the way you teach them how to be organized since small is a very valuable skill which not everyone can get from their parents. I totally agree with you that we should teach our children how to be organized. In life people who are not organized will usually end up being miserable. People who knows how to organize themselves will find it very easy to get along with daily routines, and it provides them with a platform that makes it easier for them to concentrate on solving harder issues, for example crisis in life, relationship problems, etc. I have a life example for you where a child who is barely four years old always sleeps late. I really pity for the child, but I can't do anything about it because it is the same with your case (the mother is so STUBBORN. I feel weird because the mother is a full-time housewife, she only has three kids. The eldest is a boy, away living in a boarding school. The second kid is a girl, 12 years old. And the youngest is three years++. Every day and night (I repeat, DAY and NIGHT)the mother's job is always hanging around with another of my neighbor. The neighbor doesn't have any child, so it's ok for me if she wants to sleep late or anything. But this neighbor who has kids, she will hang around and bring together her two kids - the three and twelve year old to chit chat and wasting time until 1.00 a.m. and sometimes 2.00 a.m. I really pity both of the kids, because the elder kid has to sit for the Big Examination this year this coming September. But she sleeps late everyday, she wakes very early in the morning to go to school, never had breakfast, didn't eat during breaks at school because she told me she wants to save her pocket money to buy things for herself, never had a nap in the afternoon, and she had to take care of her little sister. I don't know how on earth can she find the strength to study for the exams. I bet she must be very exhausted. I don't understand why the mother is so ignorant. She is so irresponsible. We live in a condominium, and it is supposed to be a place where people are not VERY POOR, but she never cooks for her kids. I wonder why. She only cooks for dinner because the husband is coming home to eat dinner. During the day the kids only eat biscuits, or plain breads but nothing was cooked from the kitchen. I once asked the elder sister, have you had your breakfast? She told me, she never eats breakfast, she has been used to it. Both of the kids are like walking skeleton, I tell you! Lol... it's true. And all of them sleep late every night, making noise in front of my door and at one time my husband was so furious he gave them a word. I don't think you are old fashioned, you are in the right track. It is the people who do not have a schedule in their life are not normal. And yes, it is very important for children to learn having their own schedule so that they can grow up to be mature and independent. And no, you are not wrong getting upset over this situation. But I have a little advice for you... I suggest you just ignore them as long as they do not bother you. But the minute they start disturbing you, then you have to do something about it! I've done so because now they are disturbing my life, staying up all nights at the corridor and making noise as if they don't have any house to live in. Urghh! Lol... Take care! (And luv, from ladysurvivor).