Rest Time

Routines In General – If you don’t know by now, I personally function best with routines and predicability. I learned while taking child development courses, that kids function best with consistency. So during the week in our home, our days are very consistent. For our two older girls we have morning and bedtime routines and a tentative schedule that helps us get through our day while accomplishing school, chores and of course time for fun stuff! This is helpful for me, they know when they can have a snack and where to get it from, they know they will have a quiet time during the day and that they get to pick a movie, they know when lunch will happen etc. I guess what I am trying to say here is, there is very minimal question and answering from me when it comes to them being hungry or bored. They know what to expect and it makes my life so much easier and theirs filled with predicability. This is not to say that I never surprise them with a trip to Starbucks on a Friday, or allow them to do something out of the ordinary, but for everyday purposes we are a well oiled machine and it runs smoothly.

Rest Time – While I love my kids with every inch of me, it is a constant time consuming job and that can wear on any person. During the day and especially with covid/quarentine, we are together… all day…. every day! Thats a lot for any human. Rest time is each of our times to have time to ourself. I keep this very positive. My two older girls get to pick what they want to watch and get to watch it alone. I let them pick a comfy pillow and even a small toy if they want to play quietly. This hour to two hours, gives us all the reset we need to finish up the second half of the day. It just works for us. If we are home (which with Covid we have been) on the weekends we also take this time then, during the summer etc. I know this is not something that will work for everyone and that is okay, it just works for us. I have found that girls are ready to play kindly with each other afterwards, actually excited. I have found most importantly that I am a kinder, more patient mom when I have a small break in the day to think clearly.

I have taken bits and pieces of all the parenting tips, books etc and turned it into what works in our home. Nine years in I feel like I have accomplished a pretty good routine. Never perfect and HI, it took long enough, but better late than never, constantly adapting and improving!

Happy parenting friends!