I remember clearly hearing a speaker at my MOPS group talk about routines. At the time, I was mom of a 2 year old and infant, and as she listed several routines that helped her day, I distinctly remember thinking that many/most of those routines wouldn't really help me all that much. Now, with a 5, 3, and 1 year old, I'm finding that some of the same ideas I discarded three years ago (when they didn't apply to us), are now life savers in our day-to-day schedules.
What have I learned?
- Some mom tips are worth remembering for the future, even if they aren't quite applicable to your family yet... and yet will be here "before you know it."
- Many mom tips can be tweaked to work for your family dynamics. Remember to apply them to your circumstances.
- Routines can truly save the day and make all the difference in a smooth running family vs. chaos and stress.
These are some of my favorite routines now.... please share yours as well!
- Bring a thermos everywhere you go! I purchased personalized thermoses for each of my girls and we fill them with water to take to the park, zoo, and other outings. It saves the temptation to buy drinks at the concession stand and teaches the habit of healthy hydration. Sometimes I forget (notably a park trip last week), and it really makes a difference in how many pit stops I'm making at the water fountain and how happy my kids are on the trip.
- If you need to arrive at a location on time in the morning, lay out clothes the night before. With little girls, I've found that they love to pick out their own clothes, but sometimes what I know is best isn't what they would pick (no flip flops in the winter, no fancy dresses at the park). In the evening, I give them guidelines (jeans, dresses, etc), they pick out their clothes for the next day and get the seal of approval. In the morning, as I'm dressing the baby and handling my morning tasks, I can tell my 3 and 5 year old to get dressed on their own knowing they'll be appropriately ready for our plans.
- Take turns with pjs and teeth brushing. While one sister is putting on pajamas and brushing her teeth, I have some one-on-one time with the other. They each get a chance to have a private audience with mom and review their day without interruptions from their sister.
- Teach chores as young as possible. We keep a small hand held broom and dustpan at child's reach in the pantry. After breakfast, it's one of their responsibilities to sweep up the crumbs while I clear the table. The girls also help match socks, put away laundry, clean their own rooms, make beds, clean windows, and dust. They love the praise they earn from a job well done and learn a sense of responsibility young, while taking some of the pressure off Mom and Dad to "do it all."
These are just a few routines and shortcuts we use in our family with young children. What are some of your favorite tips and tricks for time saving and teaching family responsibility?
Written by Kristina Light