S02
June 30, 2011, 1:52am
8
Re: How strict is your child’s routine?
On schooldays, of course waking up time is consistent and now, bedtimes are becoming more regular. We could do better though. Starting August, I’m going to work on getting them to bed by 8 pm.
Mealtimes are strict. Again that took serious management. We all have dinner together. That’s a must. Breakfast…dad and the older one have together, then choti and I. But starting September, the girls will both go to school at the same time so I can see that changing.
I have to say that I’m not as strict as I should be…I’ve seen some extremely disciplined children. But it’s worked for us this far. Now some things have to change.
Their schedule doesn’t bother us, neither do their activities come in the way. I’ve been careful in not making them do too many things at the same time just so they have enough time to play, sit with us, and read.
I think your schedule sounds good. It’s stable so it gives the kids a sense of what to expect when, but it’s not rigid, so it allows for growth and surprises.
I try to be consistent but I am not extremely strict.
As my son got older his sleep time changed by itself. I used to put him to bed at 7:30 and he would be asleep by 8 which changed to 8:30 and now it is 9:00 PM.
I am bit strict about breakfast and dinner time as we eat breakfast together in the morning (have to leave by certain time) and at dinner time, I give him his dinner first (otherwise he says he is going to eat from my plate and then he does not eat so well ) so I have to wait until he finishes and since I am very hungry in the evening, I have him finish his dinner on time.
There is no strict playtime or storytime.
I am a bit leniant on weekends but he still has to sleep by 9:30 or if it gets too late then 10 (this is very rare) but no later than that.
LOL I would never wake up a sleeping child either. That time is too precious (for both of us
mm we have one parent (me) trying to enforce a fairly strict food-time and bedtime routine. and we have another parent who doesnt care much about exact times as long as kid eats well and sleeps well. its hard for my mechanical brain to comprehend things that don’t have a schedule or order, so this is a common item we argue over these days.
The thing is that a child is not a machine. Same input doesn’t always equal the same output. And often a little flexibility and spontaneity yields big results (good and bad
That makes sense to me. That’s how my parents were.
). How do you manage social events with bedtimes? Do you leave the kids at home? Don’t go?
).