I've just finished reading Eloise Rickman's book Extraordinary parenting. I borrowed from the library's e-book version to read on my phone while being in E's room while he falls asleep. Really good time to get some reading in :)
When I got to the part when she talks about daily rhythm, it got me thinking of ours. I always think of it as routines but routines sounds more rigid. I am a bit of that I feel but these daily rhythms really help me a lot in getting through day to day. It helps me have quiet time. It helps me get some calm. I get very overwhelmed if I have to spend the whole day(with no breaks) just always ON with E. It's not that I don't enjoy being home with E. It's a privilege. I get to spend time with him while also playing and learning with him. But a break or two is definitely needed to continue on the day without feeling overwhelmed so yes that's why I try to stick to our daily rhythm as much as possible.
Writing down our daily rhythms just to remember :)
Side note: do you have a fear of forgetting all these little things as the years move on? I have this fear and once every few days, I have a urge to write everything down.
Our daily rhythms
Wake up, E gets to play for a bit so as to calmly starts his day(I usually set up some shelf work for him on his table)(also the time we get breakfast ready), diaper change, get dressed, brush teeth
Eat breakfast(these days he likes to read while eating)
Spend some time with O if there's time before O (the upside of wfh) starts work. I clean breakfast up.
Go out for a walk(for most days) if weather is good, if not we stay home, free play time, read. On Fridays we have gym.
Home for snack time, relax for a bit, read books, talk about our outside time
Usually if there's some chores to do I'll do it now, cook lunch, E can play on his own or even help(most days, he helps.
Wind down before lunch if there's time
Lunch
Bedtime story
Then nap(usually he naps maximum 2 hours)
Wake up, we have some more quiet time. E likes to just lay in his bed, even when he wakes up on his own to just relax so I'll relax with him on the side of his bed.
Play/read for a bit
Snack time.
Play (activity time -arts and crafts, sensory) or if we have plans, we'll go out.
Meal prep(E gets to help out if he wants to if not play on his own)
Dinner
Time with O (after he is done with work) (I get to relax for a bit before the bedtime routine)
Sometimes they will go out, run some errands or stay home and play or read
Start of bedtime routine - milk time
Shower, brush teeth
Story time by O
Bedtime (still working on not having me to sit in while E falls asleep)
For weekends, if we don't have plans as a family to go out, O lets me rest more. We call it shifts :)
I can even choose to go out and I usually am back before dinner or bedtime routine starts. If I decide to stay home, we start with the usual, but then from after nap time onwards, I get to rest, doing my own things, usually I nap/play games/watch stuff) for an hour, then O gets a break and then I get a break after dinner again. More breaks which is good.,
Not sure if this is a routine or a rhythm. Timing wise, it doesn't have to be a certain time but this is us most days. It's not to say our days go by smoothly because of these rhythms but its because of these rhythms it's easier to get back to normalcy when things gets hard. It definitely helps.
As a person, I am a highly sensitive person. I get anxious very easily. I get stressed out very easily. I need a lot of quiet/alone time. I really prefer to not talk if I have the choice. Noises stresses me out. I know I need help but also I don't like burdening people. I know I can rely on people but then I feel like things won't be right unless I do it myself. I just feel that I have to do it myself, even if things go bad, I have myself to blame.
Having a baby, for me, it's been hard. It started off hard, making me more anxious. So these rhythms really do help. And knowing what comes next is also good. I don't plan activities or play ideas most days but I'll always try to have some sort of activity so that I can get some down time during the day, it doesn't always work out but we keep trying. And knowing that O is there to share the load definitely helps too. Not to say that I don't have days when I feel overwhelmed and feel like I am doing every single thing on my own but ultimately it's mostly me feeling tired and overwhelmed. But yes, we'll keep trying.
Till next time, M