Daily Routine Needed! & Cabin Fever!!!

If you get a copy of the daily routine...would you please please email it to me too. ____@____.com....I have a 3.5 year old and a 3 month old and I feel like my days are sooo uneventful and a routine would help...thanks soooo much....good luck...it's nice to know we are all in the same boat. :)

Hi Stacey, Boy i have three girls and i take them everywhere with me!!!When my youngest gets tored i lay down with her! i think the more you take them out the better they will get adjusted.i am a stay at home mom, but I work from my home as a Mary kay Sales Dirctor! I would love to pamper you! Give you a free facial! i hope you have a great day! A.

Well for starters you need to take time for yourself. But I would suggest that you start with less time with your son. Start getting him off of nursing and your life will be so much easier!!!!! And think of all the time you will have leftover.

8:00 Wake up
8:45 Breakfast
9:30 Game- Play a games or an activity-- listen to music and dance, board games, anything stimulating
10:00 Snack
10:30 Art projects-- Colors for your son and more for your daughter
11:30 Start lunch
12:15 NAP TIME
Both go to their own beds and NAP--your son is old enough that you can lay him in his crib and walk away
If you don't you will still be nursing when hi is 21 and he will never nap
3:00 Snack
3:30 Read Books OR another activity
4:30 Give them time to play without you so you have time to yourself
5:15 Start dinner

Good luck
A.

Hi Girl,
I hear you loud and clear. My littlest one was demanding of my time like that. I tried an infact cozy carriers. When my daughter was smaller, I would pack her in there and do what I needed. As for nursing all of the time, she wanted that too. I started giving her a binky, that was when she was 3 months old. That helped a little.
Something that might help with your individuality is the moms club. It is a national non-profit for moms. They have activities and support. It is fantastic. The website is www.momsclub.org. They are great about replying to email requests from their national website.
Also a routine is simple. You write it and stick to it. Make sure to get fresh air on there daily and stick to meal times. Kids might not like it at first, but THEY will get much easier when YOU have your routine down.
A.

Dear S., Have you thought of a preschool program for 4y/o
daughter. Of course Motessori is the best but if affordability is an issue there are free(Head Start) and such programs out there especially in Missoula. You could look community help up in phone book. That should be a big help with darling daughter. Also there is the new waterpark in Missoula and a great YMCA (lo cost programs) Why are you staying indoors?
Normal Kids like to be outside a lot to get rid of their energy.
Little boy has to be trained to let go of mommy. If you put him down to nap and he cries. As long as he is not wet or hungry it is ok to cry a bit. Let him know that you are there and close door.Or Play pen same thing. He should learn that you are there, pick up, quick hug and down again. It is a bit hard at first. Make sure he gets out,lots fresh air, and does some walking.Play group?to get him nice and tired
C.

LOL. That was funny. I understand your frustration. You say that your son has to be attached at the hip all the time? Perhaps putting him in a walker or playpen where he can still see you while you are doing things would help. Do you get on the floor and play with your daughter? Can you include him in this? Making a schedule is quite easy; all you need to do is list the times you want to do things and how much time it should take. Breakfast, reading, snack, playtime, lunch, naptime, snack, playtime, dinner, playtime, snack, bedtime. :) All you have to do is decide what times work for you in that order. You can read them a story at night time. You can walk to the park or school playground and show your son how fun it is to play away from mommy for a little while. Do you have friends with little ones? Sometimes being around other children can be very beneficial. I have 4, ages 10, 9, 8, and 6, so I had four aged 4 and under at one time.

Hi, i used to feel your pain... I have a 11 month old girl and a 6 yr old and to top it all off i moved here from california and i didnt know anybody. I never used to leave my house except to go to the store or Target. Even thinking about doing something with out my baby in my arms at all times she would cry!!!! So i have someone who i found to come to my home 2xs a week so my oldest and i can do stuff or i do my own thing with out the kids. This is the best thing i could have done for all of us. My baby now naps and she is used to seeing someone else who will play with her and give us a break. I am also a stay at home mom, but we also need a breather at some point. It's good for the kids and our selves.

As for the nursing to sleep issue, I really recommend the no cry sleep solution. My dd wouldn't even THINK of sleeping without being nursed down, and after following her suggestions in the book for a few weeks, we would nurse in the living room, go lay her down and OUT like a light ;)

About your daughter, why can't you take her to the park and let her run? It's quite possible for you to sit in a central location with your son, and keep a close eye on her. Oh, and your daughter is at the age that settling/sitting is virtually impossible LOL so it's not a character flaw for her, it's very normal developmentally speaking.

Have you tried a sling for your son? That way, he can be on mama's hip right where he wants to be, and you have your arms free to do other things.

Hi - not sure I have anyting to send you in regards to a template for schedules but I can recommend a book (that saved my sanity!) with my two kiddos (I have a 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter). It is called Babywise, basically it talks about how you implement structure into your child's life from birth and how to get children to sleep without "props" as they call it (nursing, binkies, etc.). I foundd it to be quite useful and adapted most of the principles.

I can sympathize with you - my biggest struggle was not when I had my son, but when I had my daughter - having one seemed like a "piece of cake" to adding the second. I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.

Hi. I don't have a schedule template. Im only stay at home in the summer, but after reading about your baby wanting to be held, I have a suggestion. Have you ever tried a hip hammock, or sling. They are awesome for keeping those little ones happy be still being able to be up and moving around. I use a hotsling that I bought on Ebay. Its a lifesaver for me!Good luck!

Go to places where your girl can run around without causing trouble. Some places that I know of are the childrens museum, the zoo, some dudes playground, wild west jordan park, a friends house that is kid-safe (it helps if they also have kids), you could even go to a fast food playplace if you're desperate enough. I also try to find some time in the mid-morning for some easy to clean up craft for the kids. Put the baby in a sling or somthing so you can get arounf easier. I hope this helps.

Hi S.! My advice to you is to find a good mom's group. That is what saved my sanity!
Does your son like the stroller? Take both kids to the playground, where you can sit with the little guy if you have to. Also, he is old enough to be introduced to the sippy cup. That'll keep him from nursing so much, provided you are feeding him solids?

I have a 1 and 3 year old, and let me tell you, it does get better after the first year; even if only a little...

As far as routine's go...yes, my kids thrive on routine, but you have to figure out what works for you.

S.-

Dance! ;)

-A.

Although I am a single mother with only one son (almost 3) and I work full-time, I can empathize with you. My son is very busy, always wanting my full attention and participation, and like yours would only sleep if nursed (which I just recently ended by using the "my boobies have owies" ploy). I have found that doing errands as early as possible in the day, followed by park/playground or some other activity just for my son seems to work best. Sometimes he even naps in the car afterwards! I don't see why you couldn't get your DD out to play, somewhere other kids are plentiful, then you would be able to play with your little one while she was busy herself. I have noticed that alot of fun activities occur when I am at work...check out the libraries and museums and play groups. Even though my son completely exhausts me, I envy his spirit and try to allow it to grow! Good luck!

I remember those times.. My boys are 2 years apart, almost to the day.. By the time my youngest was born, my oldest was off and running, getting in to stuff regularly, and pulling at my skirt for some time to play like he was used to, until baby brother came along to make mommy sit, and sit and sit.. I remember one day, while my little one was laying down on the carpet on a blanket, I jolted outside to collect the laundry off the line, and the oldest locked the wrought iron gate and dropped the keys in the middle of the living room floor.. well he was only two and when I tried coaxing him into bringing mommy the keys, though he perceived it as, "At last! She's playing with me again!" and proceeded to hide the keys in different parts of the house, egging me on to come and "get him" and get the keys..

Long story short, it was a good thing I layed the baby down near that door with a gate. I nursed him through the bars, until my husband came home to let me back in.. In the meantime, however, the oldest had emptied the fridge, mixing yogurt, soy sauce, last night's leftovers, baking soda, and whatever else he could open, into a nice thick concoction on the floor....

Moral of the story is.. There's no "right answer" or Perfect schedule that you can use to make it "fair" between the kids, or to you, or make it copacetic for everyone... The baby I'm sure could care less what time you think he should nap, or eat..... And the older one won't understand WHY it's time to lay down with baby instead of playing with them....

Just gotta take it day by day.. :)

You might need to require your son to let you go for a bit. Being almost one he needs floor time to learn to walk, etc. He'll throw a fit a tfirst but you'll all be happier for it. As for a routine, this is more a housekeeping site but I LOVE it for keeping my spirits up, etc. It's called www.flylady.org. Fantastic! Also, I hghly reccommend joining a MOPS group near you. I got to the one at Trinity Church, it's great! In the summer you can build a routine around swimming time for a relatively low cost and in the winter there are the free playgrounds in the malls and also the library. My sons also like the free train set at Barnes and Noble (72nd and Dodge)and the free water parks around town, there's behind 120th and Center or so, near a school.

BTW, MOPS is not just for mothers of preschoolers, anyone with a child 5 and under can attend!

There is a web site that has templates for daily routines and a lot of other things. You might want to check it out. I've used the sight and like it.
The website is www.dltk-kids.com

I hope it helps!

K.

Check out www.flylady.net - She is a queen at routines that have tremendously impacted me and life with toddlers (2)! Well worth it. They have automatic email reminders to follow your routines as well.

Blessings.

You have got to get your kids on a routine. I don't know your feelings on how long you want to nurse but if I were you, I would ween him from his night time nursing. I think he is basically doing it for comfort. I even got to the point where I locked my daughter in her room to take a nap, but it did not last very long and now she naps awesome. I have a 5 year old daughter... I would suggest getting her into a routine..... wake up, eat breakfast, color/craft time, go for a walk, etc... You will lose your marbles if you don't. I realized when I was not able to get my kids to take a nap, that everyday I took them to the park or had them do something physical...it guarenteed them a nap. Where are you located?

Have you heard of MOPS? It's a social/support group for Mothers Of PreSchoolers. Check out their website www.mops.org
I have a nearly two year old daughter and a 4 year old daughter. It's rough. Talking to other mothers helps me immensely.

Hi S.! To start, I have been in your shoes with needing a routine, maintaining mom ID and cabin fever. I have not found all the answers by any means but here are some helpful things for me. I am also a breastfeeding mom.

1. Buy a sling and/or backpack for getting chores done and leaving the house. My daughter was not satisfied in a stroller until she was about 14 months old. So these alternatives gave me some freedom while still attending to her needs. We bought our backpack at a yard sale and the Nampa farmers market has slings for cheaper prices than the average online sources.

2. I made a point of going to the grocery store at least once a week. I would factor in time for stopping to feed the baby under a tree, in the car, etc.

3. I became a member of La Leche League which meets one evening/ month. If you aren't familiar, it is a group for breastfeeding moms and their kids.

4. I made sure that I left the house each day for fresh air and play for the kids. A walk around the block, play in the grass, a picnic in the yard, walk through the parking lot (I was at an apt at the time.)

I could've used more of a schedule which I didn't accomplish but these helped alot.

Good luck! J.

Hi S.,

Check out www.flylady.net, she has routines for just about any kind of woman, she even has routines for kids, even little guys.
Hope that helps.
You may want to check into a M.O.P.S.(mothers of preschoolers) group, its a great way to meet other moms in your boat.

K. Walker
mother of four, past the preschool days, but very busy!!!