I think routines get a bad rap. We usually say it something like, I’m stuck in a rut. But I have found that routines are good for kids, good for mom and usually help us all have a more stress-less life.

You don’t have to be obsessed with having an exact routine, but if your kids, especially little ones have a general idea of what to expect when, they tend to be less frustrated and more happy.

So general guidelines; When we wake up in the morning we…….snuggle for a bit, or get dressed and head for breakfast, or read, or whatever you need to do to get your mornings going

Then we……get ready for work and school,  or take showers, or watch cartoons, or make our beds and pick up our rooms, etc

In the afternoon we…….take a nap, or run errands, or do our chores, or have playtime or quiet time

In the evening we……have dinner together, do our homework, have family time, have showers, have story time

It’s a good idea to have a regular bedtime. No, no kid in the world will say, thank you for making me go to bed! But your kids needs rest and quiet time and sleep to be healthy, it’s just good parenting to give them enough sleep. It's a good idea to have a regular time each day for things like chores and homework and even playtime so they know what to expect. It helps them to plan and to understand how to organize their day, and it really does cut down on the frustration of overly tired kids.

It’s a good idea to give them some down time or quiet time before bed, so they can calm down and prepare their bodies for sleep. It’s a good idea to try and have dinner at about the same time each day too.

And it’s a wonderful idea to put the kids to bed at least an hour before you go to bed so that you have time to decompress! You as a busy parent need time to breathe, to calm down, to organize your day for tomorrow, to catch up with your spouse or a friend. If you do this you will sleep better and you will be a happier parent.

No routine will last a lifetime. You have to be able to adjust as your kids grow or needs change. Summer routines are very different than routines during the school year. Routines are very different with small kids and big kids. You have to be flexible but just having a general idea of a routine can make a huge difference in your world. Give it a try, give it a fair chance to settle in and make the effort to work out the kinks. Flying by the seat of your pants all the time can be much too stressful!