You
may have figured out by now that I'm very much an A-type personality. I
like to be organized, have my space and all the little centers of our
home organized, I have processes for just about everything in my
routine, and I don't like when something is unorganized.
The
last several months have been pretty chaotic (to me), with moving, having a newborn, my dad getting cancer and being in and out of the
hospital, and then passing away, and Christmas, and cold weather with
hardly any snow. I felt like our "routine" was getting stagnant and that
all of the boys' free time was just filled with play. Not that there's
anything wrong with that; 3-year-old boys need to play! I just felt like
I was neglecting them by not working with them on any skills or doing
any activities with them. I knew if I scheduled things into our days
instead of just doing them when I felt like it (I never felt like it), I
would be more likely to actually work with them on things.
Being
as organized as I am, I wanted to build some structure into our days,
so I made a list of all the things I wanted to do with them. I knew I
wanted to do music lessons with them (the music teacher in me knows that
the sooner they start, the better!), make crafts, go to the zoo, and go
outside regularly, so I wrote all those things down.
I
have scheduled at least 2 things every day, because the time in the
morning and the time after lunch is perfect for doing larger chunks of
work. Some days it is as simple as a 10-minute music lesson (they
strummed my guitar while I played different chords and sang today), or
as big as a trip to the zoo (which would take most of the morning, and
sometimes over lunch).
So
far, the schedule is going pretty well. There have been some days we've
missed, due to illness, or working on valentines for the past week.
We've learned some new things, I've gotten to spend more quality time
with the boys doing fun activities, and I get to learn more about them,
by figuring out how they learn.
One
important thing we've included in our schedule is a day at my
grandparents' house, their only living great-grandparents. Since Sam was
born, they've visited a few times, and I tried to get out more when the
weather was warmer this fall, but I've hardly seen my grandparents
since Dad died. I just didn't feel like getting out to do much of
anything, let alone go see people. I love them dearly, and I want my
children to have as much time as possible with them, as they are both
87, but I just couldn't bring myself to get everyone packed up to go
visit them.
Now,
we have a morning every week carved out to spend time over there, and
Grandma is helping me with a cool craft project for the boys. We'll
spend lunch there and head home just before nap time. I can't wait to
finish our project, so the boys can learn how to make Grandma's special
sweet pickles and her fantastic Christmas candy. I will hopefully also
be able to learn to quilt, since Grandma is so great at making beautiful
quilts by hand. Most of all, I am excited for my boys to grow up loving
my grandparents as much as I do.
It
probably doesn't work for most people, but for me, having a schedule
holds me accountable. I'm not going to be ridiculously strict over it,
and fret over missed activities, but I like having something to shoot
for. Right now it gives me a way to make sure we have some variety in
our days, so they don't drive me crazy being inside and bored all the
time, and I don't feel guilty for not spending time with them.
Today's encouraging verse: "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." Ecclesiastes 3:1
