Where Has My Routine Gone?

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Are you still trying to get back into your normal routine after the holidays? Me too! Yes, we are adults and parents—not babies—and we need a routine. I remember when all 3 of my girls were babies. Everything I read was about how “children thrive on a routine,” “routine this, routine that,” and “happy babies are all on a sleeping routine.” You get the idea. How come no one told me that adults thrive on routine too? (Or maybe that was mentioned in all of the books, and I skipped over that part?)  

A Disrupted Routine

It’s almost March and I am still trying to get my act together and back into a good routine with my family. Part of my excuse is that we moved over Thanksgiving so we are still getting situated. But since we only moved a block from our old house, our school and morning routine should be somewhat the same. I start to think that I will probably get my act together when it’s the last week of school. But, I am determined to get it together sooner than that. I started doing a little research on what I can do and most of what I am finding is that I need to make sure I am keeping myself on a good routine, and my kids can follow my lead.  

The thing I need to work on the most is getting myself to bed earlier. This will help me get some other routines in order, like taking care of my skin each night. I need to get back to washing and caring for my skin and hair, especially during these cold months. Another routine we sometimes put off is exercise. I seem to keep this one a constant but, it is always something we think we can get back into doing easily. With our crazy schedules, it is harder than you think.

5 Ways to Reboot Your Routine

  1. Sleep: Getting a full 8 hours of sleep each night is important. If 8 is too much, then we are shooting for as close to 8 as possible. I think we’ll be will be much happier and ready to take on the world—or rather the kids—each day. 
  2. Self-care: I am focusing on taking care of my skin and hair as part of our new routine. This includes washing my face, drinking water, and taking vitamins. It’s the little things that I can do that can help me feel more like myself.
  3. Exercise: This could mean a 20-minute walk, using an app at home, or going to the gym or a workout class. Everyone’s exercise routine is different. But, exercise is much more fun with a friend, so grab a friend and get moving.
  4. Healthy Eating: Eating healthy meals and having dinner together every evening can be a wonderful thing for your family. While kids’ schedules can get in the way with sports and homework, I’m making an effort to try to eat together around the same time each evening. Hopefully, this will keep my children free from the “hangry stages.”
  5. Calendar: I am planning to be better at keeping our family’s calendar to keep us on track. I find that having one informs the entire family of all the weekly activities.  

Happy Parents, Happy Family

I still wonder about this concept: when parents are happier, the kids seem to be happier. I am sure it is true most of the time but not always when you are dealing with 3 little girls with big personalities. Probably a totally different blog post, but you get the idea. For me, I find that when I take care of myself I am better suited to take care of others. I know what my goals will be this week, organizing my weekly calendar, getting to bed early so I can wash my face and hopefully I will be in a good mood (or good enough) to take care of my family. Baby steps to a healthy family routine for sure!!

If you are like me and have fallen out of the routine in the new year and seem to thrive on a routine like little babies do, this is the time to get your routine back in action. What are your tips for keeping your family on a positive and healthy routine?