Lesson Learned: Never Say Never

You know all those things you said you would never do before you became a parent?  You know, co-sleeping (did it), letting them cry it out (did it), putting them in Crocs (but they’re just so easy!).  I’m doing something now that I swore I would never do, even just a month ago: I’ve over-scheduled my kids.

Here is how our week looks:
Monday:              daughter dancing
Tuesday:              son karate
Wednesday:       FREE DAY!  HOORAY!
Thursday:            son karate
Friday:                  both kids swimming
Saturday:             son karate
Sunday:                Another free day and a big, happy, lazy sigh.

Somewhere in there, we also fit in the shopping, cleaning and the adult activities, such as my yoga practice 2-3 times a week (some weeks are much easier than others).  Luckily, my husband is a runner so he can just strap his sneakers on and go for it whenever there is some free time to be found.

This has been our schedule for the last month and, although I’ve moved to part-time hours at work, I’m now busier than I’ve ever been.  But you know what?  It’s working for us.  My kids look forward to their activities and my son in particular loves knowing that something is scheduled on any given day.  Karate has been so good for him in so many ways (another post about that later!) and I’m happy with the choices we have made.  We all are! 

I’ve thrown my never-do list out the window.  I’ve learned that your situation can (and will) constantly change and you never know what you need to do next to accommodate your family’s needs.  You also never know what will actually work for you until you try it.  Like those damn Crocs…they may be ugly but what kid doesn’t love a slip-on shoe?

NEEDED: A Consistent and Predictable Routine

I definitely don’t claim to have everything under control as a parent but there have been a few tips and tricks that have made our lives a little easier.  Over the last year or so, it has become really apparent that our son needs a consistent, predictable routine (more so than the average kid).  Things have been a little better now that I’m working part-time and am able to walk him to school every day, because that means we’re cutting out daycare and therefore there is one less person “handling” him in the morning.  We’ve also implemented some visual aids around the house, and they have been super helpful.

Morning and evening routines are pretty much consistently smooth now that we have these visual aids.

 We post them in the bathroom and the kids know exactly where to look to see what comes next.  They make me feel good too – definitely less nagging coming from me, as the responsibility is now on them to complete all the steps.

This visual aid is posted by our front door. 

My husband works shifts so this weekly calendar helps the kids to know if daddy is working days or if he’s nocturnal.  They know that on the days that he’s not working, he picks them up from school, so they always look forward to those days.

Again, these visual aids definitely don’t make our lives perfect, but they have made our days happier.  Our son can predict exactly what is happening around him, which makes him feel more in control.  I think these aids would benefit any kid, but if you find that your little one is especially in need of knowing what comes next, you can create some for them in just a few quick steps.

A quick search of morning routine for kids, evening routine for kids and weekly routine for kids in Google Images will bring up any number of great examples, so just print one that works for you (or create your own!).  After a quick trip to Staples for laminating, some scissor-work and then attaching a little bit of velcro, you can have routine charts for you and your family.  Good luck and all the best as you move into a more consistent and predictable routine for your little one.

Thanks for reading.  xo