Routine for First Grader (With Baby)

i absolutely positively 100% think that THIS is your perfect opportunity to break out of the mindset of 'how do i keep my child busy?' and change it to the dynamic, helpful, positive, lifelong usefulness of 'how do i empower my child to keep herself busy?'
that doesn't mean it's easy.
i applaud you for not resorting to the tv or ipad for everything. i also understand that it's difficult with a wiggly baby who has more immediate and pressing needs. but you are wisely starting before your older starts school, so you can begin establishing the boundaries and just keep strengthening them from here.
stop giving her things to do. i promise you she knows where the swingset, workbooks, board games and all her toys (i'll bet she's got a few) are located. it's on her to select the one that suits her. if you keep 'suggesting' you are creating a perfect scenario for endless 'no's, and pouting.
don't.
if you don't give her anything to resist, you're gracefully avoiding a showdown.
your job here is to create a safe space in which it's on her to fill with interest. all you have to do is say 'no tv. you can do whatever you like in your room or the living room or out in the yard until it's time to get ready for school. oh, you can't find anything you want to do? i'm sorry, honey, that can be tough. but i know if you think about it you'll come up with something. off you go. i'm going to fix breakfast (do the dishes take a shower change the baby pack lunches make the beds) now. you can help me if you like! but no whining allowed in the mommy zone!'
empower your child.
khairete
S.

I have space in my kitchen where my little one is able to set up something - like a Barbie camper, or the plane, or a little house .. and she brings in whatever 'people' she wants (could be little ponies, etc.) and she sets herself up to play while I am busy working away in the kitchen. I will go sit and have coffee next to her at some point and chime in once in a while, but that's about it.

She's allowed to have that part of the kitchen for her fun. Yesterday she had Lego out. I don't care about mess or routines - it's just free play. So long as she can see me and I chime in now and then - she's happy. Her imagination gets going.

Do you have a space like that where she can set up? Some kids don't like going off to a play room and will keep coming back to find mom. Or your daughter may not want to go off outside on swings if you and baby are in house. At least not to start.

Good luck :)

I have four kids(one being a 13m) so I just can't entertain them all the time. I do play with them some at home and I take them out to do something fun almost daily(pool, park etc). Of course they love t.v and iPad and I limit that. And it really started to drive me nuts when they would complain about being bored(we have everything!) or would be pestering me when I was cooking or whatever so I started a find something to do or I will find something for you to do which would be a chore. There were times when they did end up helping me pick up and do yard work but now I tell them alright guys I gotta get a few things done so go find something to do and they do.

I agree mostly with what Suz said.

However, if my kids had time for TV in the morning I'd let them watch. We aren't home long in the evenings and if they want to spend their mornings relaxing I would be okay with that too - they are headed to 8 hours of structured learning.

My daughter goes to school at 644, so she is normally running out the door. The boys go at 823, so they usually have a small amount of time. They will toss the football in the front yard, read, play with their toys, watch TV, play minecraft, whatever...

I'd find some arts and crafts that are at her level and have her work on them herself. My kids enjoyed foam crafts at that age. My son loved the foam square sticky mosaic type of kits too. He was like your daughter and needed lots of attention during free play time, but he could work on one of those mosaic pictures for hours. I'd also have her read to you when you are in the kitchen doing things. Set up a little chair or a small pillow area for her to lounge and read. It's hard when they don't play by themselves, but the key is to keep trying new things and see what she likes best. With kids like this it's best to be ready each day with a task for them to do. So, you would pick out the word search for her to work on that day, or the puzzle to do. Maybe set aside some time with you for 15 min. after she has done her task of the day. This is all after doing a morning routine to get ready for school of course...get dressed, make bed, eat, brush teeth, etc. She can actively check those off and then get to the fun stuff.

Six-thirty to 8:30 sounds like pefect timing.

• Stretch
• Brush Teeth
• Comb Hair
• Mom styles hair
• Get Dressed
• Put her own socks & shoes by the front door
• Help Mom get the breakfast items out of the refrigerator
• Eat
• Wash hands and face
• 10 minutes of out loud reading
• Left over time watching TV/game, while putting on shoes
• Out the door…

Just saw your SWH...buy her a kid table at Walmart.

I'd let her watch TV or play games before school and I would NOT count that as time against her.

When do they eat breakfast? Can you change that time? Can you encourage reading time or can that be homework time? Do you have any sort of chart that says what she needs to do like get dressed, find her shoes, check her bag, etc? Do you pack her lunch? She could be involved in that. If my DD is ready she can watch a little TV at the end of her morning before school. Could that be a limited reward for being ready? Can she help you with her sister?

You might all want to learn some signs (food, drink, milk, more) if you think that the toddler's whining would benefit from ability to communicate.

ETA: Suz has some good ideas. As they get higher in school, there will be more they need to do independently, and more she will be responsible for on her own. Practicing at home things like waiting and safely entertaining herself are good for school, too.