There are so many things that a mother does in a day—no wonder we are always so tired. We are a teacher, doctor, chauffer, cheerleader, we make all the appointments, clean the house, do the laundry and dishes—you name it we’ve either done it or are on our way to do it.
During this crazy, overwhelming, blessed filled life, we also get the opportunity to mold and teach our children about life—creating routines with them.
You guys—YOU get to create these routines … I can say it again if you’d like? 😊
Okay, so you also need to make sure your spouse is on board with what you have in mind but think about it… If there are things you’ve always wanted to do as routines then now is the time.
You can start praying before dinner with your children…
New bedtime routines, new health habits, new things that your kids will never forget.
Why do we create routines?
Kids thrive on routine and structure. Especially in their younger years, they like to know what is coming and what to expect from their day-to-day activities. So, setting up a daily routine is a great way to start.
Our routine with four children ages five and under:
Wake up between 6:30a and 7:30a
Breakfast
Snack at 9:30a
Lunch around 11:30a
(clean up)
Nap from 12:30p until around 2:30p
Snack when they wake from nap
Dinner at 5p
(clean up)
Bedtime snack at 7p
In bed at 8p
Now we also have a bedtime routine, etc. but remember to make it your own… how does a routine fit into your family and your life. The routine may have to develop and change throughout time or maybe it depends on the day. But I like to let my kids know the night before if tomorrow is going to look different to them. This way they will be expecting it. It’s even something I say regularly the next day.
Examples would be: “Eva you have school today” or “Mommy has to go to an appointment today so daddy will be home from work” or “You’re going to be up after bedtime tonight so you may not get to watch tv later”
Remember-kids thrive on routine and structure, change can affect them tremendously.
The outcome…
Usually, routines and structure create children that know what to expect, therefore they are more willing to do what is next in the routine… they are happier with the structure.
For example: if you create a routine like the one I shared above, then your kids know that it is just part of our day to clean up before we take a nap and before we go to bed.
Now, you’ll still have moments and days when the kids want to fight you on the routine (I get it) but it’s still easier to have a routine for the children. We have definitely had many moments of saying “we do this every day – it’s time to clean up” because we all know, children don’t like to clean up and they always need to try some resistance with it all, right?
You’ve got this girl. We are in this together.
Join my mom’s community HERE for added support and tips for routines.
Withheathermartin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
0 Comments