schedules

I don't know if you can really manage your time if you have kids at that age. I am also having a hard time managing my schedule considering I have a second grader daughter and a two month old son. Although my eldest has her own schedule now which is waking up at 6am to prepare for school, there are still chances that those times are not followed especially if there's an occasion as she can't sleep early at that times. My daughter usually go to bed at 8:30pm to 9:00pm. My time with my 2 months old son is unpredictable because there are still times that he sleeps soundly and there are times that he doesn't want to sleep. Recently, he wakes at 4am in the morning so he serves as my alarm clock.

One the things that I found was the case when my children were both preschoolers was that it was actually impossible to have a schedule that you were able to stick to each and every day. Instead, I made sure that some aspects of our lives were scheduled, like sleep meals, baths and such and the rest of it was done as time allowed in the day. That didn't mean that the kids weren't getting what they needed, it just meant that every minute of every day was not scheduled for us.

Firstly, I think you are over thinking it a bit. You need to keep in mind that pretty much any activity is a learning one for kids that age. Also, free play is just as important as structured play. Yes, they'll make messes and "get into trouble" but they also learn about consequences and self entertaining and things along that line. I'm not saying don't supervise (meaning be in the same room) but allow them to direct their own play. Cooking is a learning experience. Bathing is too. Here's the thing you have to keep in mind. Parenting takes time and a lot of effort. Your children won't learn how to behave or care for themselves or nurture the relationships in their lives if they aren't taught how to do that. You also need to teach adaptability. That means allowing for days where things are not following a strict schedule and you just pick up and go do something. Your kids need to learn how to do chores. I'm not saying put them to work like little slaves, especially at your kids' ages, however it's a vital part of learning to care for themselves, their things, and their living environment. A 4 year old is quite capable of picking up toys, folding small towels and washcloths, helping to make the bed, putting plastic dishes and pots and pans away in lower cupboards, helping to set the table, putting their laundry in the basket, and pulling weeds (with direction). Children that are your kids' ages are VERY eager to help, it's important to teach them the work that needs to be done, and the value of working hard and how that has it's own reward.

I have four children ages 13 - 2. Do NOT micro manage your schedule so much as hour by hour. It is just impractical with children and life in general. Nothing goes as planned and if you expect it to especially to that degree you will have nothing but stress and heart ache. Try a broader schedule more like goals for each day. We bath the children every other day, alternating between two sets. Bed time is 8 ish and wake up time is anytime between 7 and 9 am. I home school so I can be a bit more flexible then many. We get up and the kids do their chores while I make breakfast. Even the two year old knows that she gets up goes potty and brushes her teeth and then feeds the dogs (she seems to have adopted this chore from her sister on her own and loves doing it so why stop her?) From there we do our daily laundry and school classes. We aim for lunch around 12, then the big kids finish school while the baby naps. I clean the room of the day ( I have one room a day I give a deep cleaning to not just straitening up) and then the rest of the day is for hobbies and play until dinner. After dinner we do baths for the two who it is their day and then bedtime. Everything gets done but it's loose. Too much schedule creates stress for all involved and isn't healthy.

I would suggest to try and see what bests in your household first. Mark every hour on a piece of paper and fill in the blanks. See how long it takes to fix breakfast, eat breakfast, clean up, do chores, playtime/learning time, lunch time nap time, ect. And then after a few days "edit" that rough draft and see what works. I understand though. I work 40 hours a week and try to raise 2 girls and still be a wife. I was a stay at home mom for a few years and we had a routine going. That routine got revised and I went back to work. You will get it soon! Keep your head up!!

i have a 3 year old and a 4 year old and i am still getting the hang of my time and a schedule for them specially with them starting school this upcoming year. i am usually the 1 losing sleep but it is starting to work out like i would like it to. in the morning i try to get up when my husband gets up for work or when he leaves while the kids are still asleep. that is when i take the time to wake up a little and them i usually start the laundry (i am way behind on this) and then i will try and pick up around the house so that when they get up we can do breakfast and then a few cartoons while i finish what i was doing then we will do bath time. i do not have it doen to the hour because i never know how long beakfast will take or long long they will watch cartoons that day. once i get done with all of that i will usually try and let them have about 30 more mintues to an hour to watch cartoons so that i can get a little more done because we have inspections and it all has to be done in case they show up. then i will try and take the time to teach them new things and play with them and so fun activities with them. we try to have dinner by 7:00 so that after we are done eating we can do baths with them and then let them get their favorite cartoon in while having a snack (we call it settle down time) and then we are working on getting them both in their room for bed time but they like to play in there. my 3 year old you can put her in her room with her baby and blanket and she will play to her self in her bed for a few minutes and then fall asleep. my 4 year old hates to go to sleep. she is afraid she will miss something i think. also daddy gives in to her a lot but so do i sometimes. she gets to watch way more tv than i would like at night and she stays up way later. my 3 yr old is usually asleep between 9-10 at night. my oldest looks more like 12-2 in the morning. hope this will help you out a little atleast. :) good luck :)