Do you have a routine?

[Merry]

Hello Parents!

I handed in my resignation at work and as of this Friday, will be a SAHM!!

Well, DS1 is in Prep and DS2 and DD go to daycare two days a week, which I will be keeping them in so I can maybe do typing from home plus also volunteer at DS1 school.

So, I am wondering, do you have a routine or schedule that you stick to?

DS2 is a TV junkie, he would quite happily sit there and watch TV all day which drives me insane!

The kids aren't very arty or crafty (take after me LOL) so I was thinking of other ways to keep them occupied, like baking etc.

When it comes to a schedule I was thinking something like:

Monday - Drop L at Prep. Go to park for play and morning tea. Home for lunch and sleep for DD and rest for DS2. Baking. Pick DS1 up from Prep. Home for outside time and afternoon tea. Then the normal night time routine of dinner, bath, story, bed.

Does that make sense? Is that what you do? Obviously, I wouldn't always be able to stick to the schedule, which is fine, but I want something that I can structure my days around IYKWIM.

Any suggestions would be appreciated

[megsyfiregirl]

We do something in the morning most days...
Monday it's usually a trip to the park or a playdate with friends. Then home for lunch and a sleep for DD, rest for DS.. The afternoon is far less structured, it's usually reading some books, playing with some Lego/duplo etc.. I let the kids choose the activity, then wait for them to ask me to join in.
We do baking one day a week as i found they got "over it" if we did it more than that..
Tuesday morning is swimming lessons, then usually a quick trip to tue supermarket to pick up some fruit & veg and other basics.
Wednesday is playgroup..
The kids do Kindy/daycare on Thursday's and Fridays. I work Friday and I'm studying a diploma in business so that's my Thursday..

I also make sure I cook something yummy for dinner most nights.. I guess I feel a little guilty at being "supported" by my DH.. Lol

[A-to-Z]

Ha ha - Our 'outing' today was to the bank and supermarket and now we will be home for the day. The girls each got a new pair of $1 scissors

Tomorrow DD1 has kinder in the afternoon, so we normally have a quiet morning. Wednesday, DD2 goes to childcare and DD1 has swimming in the morning. Thursday, DD1 goes to kinder in the morning and DD2 and I go to playgroup. In the afternoon, they both have ballet/tap. Friday morning, DD1 has kinder and again and DD2 does another ballet class.

In between this, I don't feel like we need to have a routine. The girls play together (helps they are only 17 months apart). They seem to do a good mix of pretend play, outdoor play, arty/crafty stuff and, of course, ipad and tv time. I don't need to guide them. Sometimes I will sit with them and read, write, supervise computer activities.

I like doing art and craft stuff as well as baking so we do it quite alot but not in a structured way. Sometimes I want to, sometimes they ask. As another mum on births has said, I am the next playschool presenter !!!

Another outing for us might be to the $2 shop or Salvos. They either get crafty stuff or a toy that they will play with all day !!! Library visits are good too but they usually want the dvd's rather than books. Oh and then with playdates and other catch ups, there is no time for any other kind of routine in our lives !!!

[frenchieM]

Yeah I have a routine but its a loose one. My DS loves the TV too so we have rules. He is allowed it on in the morning until 8am (only because it keeps him entertained while I get DD up and b/fed and dressed and myself dressed).
At 8am the TV goes off and he can play outside or play with DD or we go out.

He has daycare on a Monday, Playgroup on Wed mornings and Kindy on Fri mornings. Tues we usually go to a playcentre or park or the library and Thurs morning is housework that he helps me with and I get out a heap of toys and he plays with DD in the lounge room.

We usually spend most afternoons at home. I will sometimes let him watch TV/play computer games (we have some Dora games etc) for another hour while I make dinner and we always read books in the afternoon. I also do the baths early (3-4pm) as my kids go to bed early at 6pm and its too hard to cram dinner, bath etc all in to 1 hour before bed.

The only thing I try to do is 1 inside activity and 1 outside activity a day. So inside activity might be drawing, lego, reading, playdough and outside might be playing with waterguns, riding his bike, painting, throwing the ball/soccer.

[lil]

Our mornings usually we are at home. DS doesn't normally wake before 8, he has his milk and I have my breakfast (I like to eat ALL my brekky...no sharing that meal ) and an hour or so later he has breakfast and then he is usually back in bed. Afternoons we go for a walk to the shops and/or the park...now that he's walking I have him walk holding my hand as much as possible which wears him out and usually makes it a good hour and a half out. I usually take lunch and snacks with us as I try to stay out for a while for my sanity (and the dog loves it too!). If I'm lucky, he'll have an afternoon sleep, or at least an hour in his cot which means I can usually do some homework. I normally start to prepare dinner around 430 while he plays in the backyard or, if its raining, DS plays with kitchen utensils at my feet. He has dinner around 530, bath around 6/630, bed by 730 (so he has play time with daddy ).

I try to go with the flow a little...depends on the weather, how I'm feeling (I'm 28 weeks with #2 so very variable lol), what time DS wakes (can be as late as 10 which kinda throws everything out of whack) and what I should make sure is done for the day. We have music on all day so will dance and sing songs with actions together, he LOVES playing hide and seek. I haven't been brave enough to try him with crayons yet....everything still goes straight into his mouth first. I probably should though. We read lots and he eats lots...

[LeahP]

This is a great thread!! I will be watching for more ideas.
DS is the same would watch tv all day every day so I need some ideas on activities we can do that include DD too as she is only 15 months it is a bit hard doing craft with her.
She is also a bub that doesn't like to sit still for very long.

Ill be watching for some tips because I think we need to have a bit more structure.

[Jamilasmommy]

hahaha, routine, no we dont have aroutine, every day is different, I make sure my little Jamila sees different people every day and i change her toys around, but as far as routine goes its not soo importnat for either of us att the moment, like nature we eat when shs hungry and sleep when she is tired and play when she is playfull. make the most of your time alone with your children they are only guest in your house for so long, let them grow to make there own descisions as to what they want to do and when, I think this will raise independent happy children