Last week was wonderful. We began the week with a working vacation that took us to Disney World with my mom, who our son calls Nana. We returned home and had one day before my husband's father, who our son calls Pap, flew in to see us. Both sets of grandparents live out of state and we see them maybe two or three times a year, so these were exceptionally special visits. I wouldn't change the time we had with them for the world.
The issue I'm facing this week, however, is that life is "back to normal," but we still feel like we are on vacation. I have a need to feel grounded. I feel the need for routine.
I'm going to start planning our meals this week (again), but I'm adding breakfast and lunch to the list. I'm always stumped by these two little meals, probably because they're pretty simple and I like to make things complicated if at all possible. I'm thinking "Waffle Wednesday" for breakfast and "Tuna Salad Tuesday" for lunch, etc. What do you think?
Another routine that is going to be necessary as the weather gets hotter is going to be getting out of the house earlier. Ever been to a playground in Florida once the sun has turned the slides into hot plates? Not fun. We're going to start getting up and out as early as possible so that we're ready for the summer months.
Do you have any routines I should consider? What do you do in your home that makes things run smoothly? I need your help!
8 comments:
"...probably because they're pretty simple and I like to make things complicated if at all possible." - CLASSIC
One thing that makes my mornings run smoothly is that as part of my kids' (and my own) bedtime routine, I decide what everybody is wearing the next day and hang it on the closet door. That way I avoid the dreaded realization that we need to leave in five minutes and my daughter has no clean tights. Of course this is only for mornings we need to get out the door. If we don't need to be anywhere in the morning, then we stay in our jammies and yoga pants until noon.
If I'm really on the ball (shya right!) then I pack the backpack and/or snacks the night before, too.
Getting out early is crucial here. I plan the grocery store outing early too because unloading the kids and the groceries in the 100 degree heat is unbearable.
Also, I keep those shiny foil bags in my car at all times so that I can keep the ice cream and other frozen perishables cold until I make it home. Lifesaver!
I don't plan too specific just in general. We wake up at the same time, do some kind of morning activity, have lunch at the same time, nap at the same time, run errands at the same time, bath at the same time, dinner at the same time, and bedtime is always the same. What I plug into "morning activity", or "lunch" changes as I feel like it. :) I do plan my groceries out 2 weeks at a time, and have a list on the fridge that I choose from each morning. But I am much to laid back to be anymore scheduled than that. For example my Monday morning activity is French, and my Wed morning activity is the playpark. Typically on Tuesday I do some kind of "school" with Sage. And then the rest of the day I just fill in with puzzles and art projects as needed.
I am a bit ADD and not a morning person, so I must have routine or we might never get out the door in the morning. Sometimes I have to write down all the steps that I need to follow to get us out the door. It keeps me on task and helps me remember everything.
I have a love/hate relationship with routine. When I don't have a good routine, I crave it. When I do have a good routine, I want to rebel and stay in my PJ's until noon (like Auntie Bee). I guess the grass is always greener!
I like the idea of getting ready the night before, Auntie Bee. Maria, I really need to leave my shiny bags in the car because I always forget them--thanks for the reminder!
Thanks for the conversation today!
Lindsay, your days are much like ours. It's funny how I convince myself that the routines are for the kids' benefit, but the times when we must deviate from the routine leave me feeling completely out of sorts and frustrated. I need the routines so I don't have to remember EVERYTHING every day!
Also, major benefit of routines: If you forget something, the kids will remind you! My kids get fluffernutter sandwiches every other sandwich day (we work in leftovers for lunch some days). KID 1 will ALWAYS remind me that it certainly IS fluffernutter day. And lest anyone suffer from extreme horror over this less-than-nutritious fare, they're getting protein in the PB and they always have to eat their fruit/veggies (all of it) on fluffernutter day!
We thrive on our routines! My kids are happy and rarely EVER have meltdowns. I am happy and rarely EVER have meltdowns either! lol ;-D
Post a Comment