The Rhythm of our Day

I know I have been mentioning this book for awhile now but now I have a moment to really talk about it. Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne is probably the best book I have read in a LONG time.  It is all about putting the childhood back into children's lives and making sure they are not over stimulated, over scheduled, are not surrounded by adult worries and topics, have lots of downtime and have a steady routine or rhythm to their day.  This blog post can not do the book justice but I will highly recommend it to you.  I have 5-6 friends reading it right now (I tell everyone I know about it, Mr. Payne should really be paying me something for these endorsements ;)) and all are in agreement that this book is wonderful and life changing.

Before reading the book we already had a flexible schedule in place of our day.  We also had some smaller routines within that schedule.  This book helped me to realize that we needed much more downtime in our routine and that 1 and 4 year olds would rather be home playing than dragged around from activity to activity.  S and I sat down, decided to pick the activities that seemed to mean the most to the kids and have said "NO" to everything else.  This slowing down of our lives has been WONDERFUL.  It makes me see the beauty in homeschooling (your schedule is your own) and part of me wishes that we would homeschool (S is not too crazy about the idea and he was the one homeschooled!). 

So here is a glimpse of our day and some of the routines that happen within.  This schedule is what keeps us SANE with S being gone so much.

Wake Up--Check the Weather/Calendar--Sing our Morning Song (C and I do this as we open the curtains)--Play

Make Breakfast while children Play

7:30 Breakfast

Clean Up Breakfast while children Play

Get Dressed--morning story--children play

Morning Adventure (Kindermusik two times a week, library once a week, one HOME day and then the last day might be an Adventure, a playdate or another HOME day :)). On HOME days we never have an agenda.  It is just relaxing fun at home ;)  Snack is at 9:30

Make Lunch/quiet play

11:30 Lunch

Clean up from Lunch while children play

12:30  Lil C goes to nap and Z and I exercise

I go to shower and Z has 30 minutes of computer time (Mr. Payne would not like this!)

Project Time--Z and I do activities/crafts that Lil' C would not be able to partake in

3:30 Story Time

Afternoon Down Time--could be Outside, Bubbles, Dance Party, quiet play, Blocks, Puzzles, Puppets etc.

5:00 Curious George Half Hour while I make Dinner (Mr. Payne would not like this either)

5:30 Dinner

Clean up Dinner/"Naked Time for Lil' C" (Lil C must spend at least 20 minutes running around in just a diaper.  It is the happiest and most peaceful time of her crazy day ;))

Jammies--Quiet Play

6:45 Lil C goes to bed (her routine while Z reads)

Game time with Z

7:15 Z's Bed routine with a few chapters from his latest book ;)

Quiet time for ME :)