Is your baby or child on a schedule?

@k101707 (102)
United States
May 20, 2008 10:37pm CST
Have you ever watched Supernany? They prefer to put children on schedule. I have a 7mo. old and she put me on one. I dont believe in making a set time for them to eat or nap. When my baby is tired she sleeps, when she is hungry she will let me know. I can see when they get older and start going to school. So what is your input? Do you think children should be put you on a set schedule?
6 responses
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
21 May 08
I like routines better than a set schedule. We wake up, get breakfast, get dressed...sometimes it starts at 8am sometimes at 9am but they know the order. The baby has a nap after lunch...and so on. I've known people who maintained a strict schedule and it honestly drove me nuts. My SIL wouldn't bring her kids to one of my kids' birthday party (so our children were first cousins) because it started during their "lunch time" and continued until halfway through their "nap time".
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
21 May 08
I should also add that they only lived 10 minutes away so it wasn't like they had an hour drive to disrupt their schedule even more.
• United States
21 May 08
It's hard to put an infant on a schedule, but as they get older you will realize that children actually thrive on structure. When they turn one it is time for a set bedtime and a bedtime routine. If you work its even more important. But yeah right now for you its not a big deal, and really hard to enforce to begine with! lMAO ever tell a baby that was not hungry its time to eat? Nope it just does not work well :)) Not to mention Mom and Dad need that time, and routine. By the way I am a big Super Nanny fan!
@k101707 (102)
• United States
21 May 08
Yea I know what you mean by when they get older. I am a huge Nanny Fan. thanks for the input.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
21 May 08
I had never been good at keeping to a schedule. I think I was too indulgent on my babies. I wish I had been better at scheduling and firmer about sleeping arrangements it would have made things go smoother in the long run
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
23 May 08
Of course a schedule is a good thing but supernanny seems to focus more on children that have had their own way for far too long - none of the shows i have seen have been for kids as young as yours. I guess whenever your child is eating solid meals is the best time to start, then their body will know to be hungry at the times you would normally have meals. Leaving it until school is a bit too late because there are things like kindergarten before then where they have set meal times & your child has to be ok with that. You will find though, your child will fall in to a routine anyway so there's no real rush. My daughter will be 2 in 2 weeks time & she has been in a routine of her own - which fits in with ours for about a year or so now. She's hungry around the normal meal times, she always naps a little after lunch (if i allowed it too much later then she'd sleep too far in to the evening & would never be in bed at a reasonable hour). It just seems to happen that way, so you're better off just letting it go & things will fall in to place gradually - trust me, around the 2 -3 age bracket (well before school) they'll stop taking naps & even though they're tired they'll refuse to sleep :) So just be prepared for everything!
@magrylouyu (1627)
• United States
21 May 08
My children were always on a "schedule" when they were babies for the most part. You have to put them down for a nap at the same time bed time at the same time because when they get around 1-2 years old they will go to bed when ever they feel like it. Nope sorry. My children at 8 months old woke up at 8am ate and everything nap time was at 1pm then dinner at 5pm, bath at 6pm and bed at 7pm. My children are now 3,4 and 5. They know that bed is at 8pm and my 3 year old knows that nap time is at 12:30pm. That's just me though. I prefre a schedule it's a lot easier. At 3 months old yes it's harder because they dont sleep all night and yes they let you know when they are hungry.
@Bijou1 (160)
• Australia
21 May 08
No my kids aren't on a strict schedule. They have a routine & we have a rough daily plan. Like dinner is usually around the same time, but if something happens and it ends up being a bit later its not a prob. My 10 month old is in a routine for bath, dinner & bed, but the times are a bit varied. I couldnt make it strict though. Its not really practical when you have everything else to attend to. Something can always pop up & through you off schedule. I think the super nanny has a good plan if the kids are way out of control & troublesome, but my family works quite well the way it is, so i wont be changing.