I found a copy of one woman/family's daily schedule online and in many ways, it is very appealing to me. I'm not one that excels in organization, so part of me feels that our little family could really benefit from a strict schedule like this. On the other hand, we'll get to a strictly scheduled phase of life when our kids are older and busy with activities, should we just enjoy the easy going days of small kids at home? And what if it's just a beautiful day and you just have to take a walk to the park? What if a friend comes into town and you just have to meet for lunch?
What do you think? What do you do? Schedule or not? How do you keep the schedule? Planner? In your phone? Whiteboard in the kitchen?
Kate's Daily Schedule
7:00 a.m. Everyone up. The girls get dressed and meet me in the bathroom for teeth and hair.
7:15 a.m. Kids eat breakfast. I pack lunches and backpacks. I'm not a big breakfast person, so I'll wait and eat something after my two older girls head to the bus stop, or just stick a granola bar or an apple in my purse for after the gym.
7:30 a.m. Winter gear on.
I use color-coding, so each girl has supplies, folders, and gear in her color. It's easier to keep track of things this way and to travel, which we do often. I always know that pink is Mariah, for example.
7:45 a.m. Older girls head to the bus stop. Sometimes my husband, Chad, walks with them; sometimes they walk with a neighbor.
8:00 a.m. Get my youngest dressed and ready.
8:15 a.m. I get dressed for the gym.
8:30 a.m. Winter gear on, leave for preschool.
8:45 a.m. Preschool drop-off.
9:00 a.m. Gym for me.
10:30 a.m. I shower and get dressed.
11:15 a.m. Preschool pickup.
11:45 a.m. Lunch for me and my youngest.
12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Chores for me. Playtime for my daughter.
I have a chore schedule for myself, so I do whatever needs to be done. My daughter will play in the sink with soapy water and utensils while I clean the kitchen, or she'll help with chores (she likes to sweep the floors or dust). She'll give her bath toys a wash while I clean the bathroom. We love music, so we often blare kids' tunes and sing.
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Errands around town or a trip to the park, depending on the weather.
3:45 p.m. Pick up my older daughters at the bus stop.
4:00 p.m. Snack.
I have a snack basket in the pantry filled with healthy stuff like raisins, granola bars, freeze-dried fruit, rice cakes, fruit snacks, and fruit leather. When they ask (for the hundredth time!) for a snack, they can get whatever they want out of the basket. Then I'm not making snacks all day. We keep the kid-friendly refrigerated snacks in a certain shelf in the fridge, too.
4:15 p.m. Kids do chores and homework according to age: picking up toys, straightening their rooms, emptying the trash, setting the table, and packing for the weekend (if we're going to visit friends and family or to our cottage).
I want to give my girls a sense of pride, accomplishment, and achievement – of working hard and reaping your rewards. I want them to know that Chad and I are so proud of them for contributing to our household, and that they're an important part of our fantastic family.
5:00 p.m. Make dinner.
5:30 p.m. Eat dinner. I cook every night and we always eat as a family. It's very important to us. I want to instill in my children the importance of a strong home life: dinners together where everyone gets to talk about their day and is heard.
6:00 p.m. Activities (ballet, Girl Scouts, or gymnastics, depending on the night).
It's a logistical tangle! Sometimes the girls have different activities in different places at the same time. My husband and I divide and conquer. Each girl has a little tote bag in the car filled with crayons, stickers, paper, and a snack to keep her busy if she has to wait for her sister to finish a class or activity. I have some moms I can trust, and we help with carpooling or watching each other's kids from time to time.
7:30 p.m. Bath or showers for the girls. I lay out clothes for the morning.
8:00 p.m. In bed with books. We read aloud to the younger two, but Violet reads chapter books to herself every night as part of her homework.
8:30 p.m. Lights out for the kids. My husband I get to relax. We save this time for us – we'll watch a movie or play video games, or I'll read and he'll watch TV.
11:00 p.m. Bedtime for adults.
3 comments:
Woa! I am all about schedules but this is...CRAZY! Maybe it works for some people but I like to have some breathing room. I guess my scheduling is more about eating and naps. Maybe this would work better for older kids but I like to be able to pack up the kids in a moments notice if the weather cooperates.
It would be nice to be this organized but I just don't have the motivation to do it.
yowza! I'm with ash on this one. I've got a routine, not a schedule. color coordinating? not a bad idea.
well, none of it is a bad idea, but not exactly what I would call practical for us.
but she does get a lot done during the day, doesn't she? I could use a little more schedule.
I think schedules fall into place when they are needed. Like now, I only schedule naps and bedtime, but I am sure that later I will schedule school, ballet, YW, etc.
I think enjoy the lazy days of childhood and get organized as you need to.
I like having a calendar in our bedroom and the kitchen to keep track of different events.
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