Don't have a routine

[aish]

Hi everyone, I'm having trouble getting my 13 month old daughter into a routine. I'm finding it especially hard since my work hours and days change every week. I don't really know how to make a routine also. Can anyone offer some advice on what an age appropriate routine might include and how I could implement it?

[missie_mack]

Ive never implemented one with either of my kids. I found they naturally formed their own and I just followed their lead.

[aish]

Ive never implemented one with either of my kids. I found they naturally formed their own and I just followed their lead.

Thank you :)

[giggle berry]

My DS is younger but our routine involves activities rather than a certain time. Time changes everyday as he gets up and naps at different times everyday.

Our evening routine is just simply afternoon snack (fruit, yoghurt), play, dinner, play, bath/shower, milk, story& cuddle, bed.

[Hunkamunka]

My dd is 17 mths and just to give you an idea of how our day's run:
8am - wake up & sippy cup of milk
9am - breakky usually just a bowl of cereal
9.30am - 11.30am Playtime/library rhyme time/swimming we go out do errands/playgroup/playdates happen during this time. I also i try and fit in some sort of morning tea at about 10.30am such as fruit and a bickie or cheese.
11.30/12 - Lunch with milk
12-3pm - Sleep
3.30pm - arvo tea
3.30-5/5.30 - play at home - do a simple activity like playdough or puzzles/watch playschool/put some music on ect.
5/5.30 - Dinner
6/6.30 - bath/shower or get into pj's read a few books before bed and have a sippy cup of milk.
7pm - bed for the night.

For my dd, we find she is alot better off with a very structured routine. Somedays she sleeps in/gets up early or doesnt need a 3 hr nap, might just have 1-2hrs but i just go with it and follow her cues and addapt the day as best i can so it still runs smooth and is somewhat predictable for her her.
Every baby is different, if your bub's is happy and thriving without much of a routine then i wouldnt be stressing over making one up. You probably have one already and you are not aware! even if its what you do to get him to bed at night.

[aish]

My dd is 17 mths and just to give you an idea of how our day's run:
8am - wake up & sippy cup of milk
9am - breakky usually just a bowl of cereal
9.30am - 11.30am Playtime/library rhyme time/swimming we go out do errands/playgroup/playdates happen during this time. I also i try and fit in some sort of morning tea at about 10.30am such as fruit and a bickie or cheese.
11.30/12 - Lunch with milk
12-3pm - Sleep
3.30pm - arvo tea
3.30-5/5.30 - play at home - do a simple activity like playdough or puzzles/watch playschool/put some music on ect.
5/5.30 - Dinner
6/6.30 - bath/shower or get into pj's read a few books before bed and have a sippy cup of milk.
7pm - bed for the night.

For my dd, we find she is alot better off with a very structured routine. Somedays she sleeps in/gets up early or doesnt need a 3 hr nap, might just have 1-2hrs but i just go with it and follow her cues and addapt the day as best i can so it still runs smooth and is somewhat predictable for her her.
Every baby is different, if your bub's is happy and thriving without much of a routine then i wouldnt be stressing over making one up. You probably have one already and you are not aware! even if its what you do to get him to bed at night.

This is the kind of routine that sounds ideal to me, I just didn't know how to structure and organise everything. Thanks a million for typing all that out, I really appreciate it :)

[aish]

My DS is younger but our routine involves activities rather than a certain time. Time changes everyday as he gets up and naps at different times everyday.

Our evening routine is just simply afternoon snack (fruit, yoghurt), play, dinner, play, bath/shower, milk, story& cuddle, bed.

Thank you :)

[Hunkamunka]

No worries, glad i could be of some help. I forgot you mentioned you also work! i didnt take that into consideration. Do you leave your son with someone while you work? or use daycare? if you leave him with someone just make sure they are following your routine aswell -
I go to the extent of writing it out and sticking it on the fridge so pleople have no excuse (appart from sickness and minor hiccups thruout the day that happen to all of us!) for messing up dd's day and i can get her into bed at the same time everynight without her being overtired and our night time is smooth and relaxing...., but i realise that's just me being anal. :)
If he goes to daycare maybe you could adapt a routine that is similar to daycare? Having lunch and a nap at the same time he would at daycare? for example.
Goodluck if you decide to start a routine!
It might take a couple weeks for him to get used to a routine, (i used to set asside a full week of staying home to drill it in) it does take persistance and making sure you are consistent with what you want in your routine. Even telling him what's about to happen next will help to reassure him and so nothing comes as a shock. I say this to my dd "We are going to have some lunch now, then we will change your bum and have some milk so you can have a niccccce big sleep for mumma!" .....She is now walking to her change table after lunch because she know's what's happening next, she also gets her sippy cup from the drawer after a nappy change. Makes it so much easier for me!
Dont underestimate how much these little people actually understand us! but in the end, its so worth it, i promise. - u'll see a difference in your little man too, it's soo good for them to learn routine ! :)

[Hunkamunka]

******GIRL***** ^^^^^im soooo sorry!!!!!!!!

[aish]

It's okay haha I know what you meant anyway :) I'm thinking about cutting my hours down at work because my DD is babysat by family every time and she can end up with 3 or more different people in a week. It confuses her as they all do things differently.

I think the best way for a routine to he established in my house will probably be a) cut back work hours, b) get myself into a routine, c) make a routine for DD based on mine. And I will sit down tonight and have a good hard think about that tonight.

She hasn't been to a proper day care before. But maybe there is a routine plan online for what day care follows? I will have a look.

Aww that's really good that your DD's routine is so well balanced and she knows it already.

[Smartiecat]

My dd is 17 mths and just to give you an idea of how our day's run:
8am - wake up & sippy cup of milk
9am - breakky usually just a bowl of cereal
9.30am - 11.30am Playtime/library rhyme time/swimming we go out do errands/playgroup/playdates happen during this time. I also i try and fit in some sort of morning tea at about 10.30am such as fruit and a bickie or cheese.
11.30/12 - Lunch with milk
12-3pm - Sleep
3.30pm - arvo tea
3.30-5/5.30 - play at home - do a simple activity like playdough or puzzles/watch playschool/put some music on ect.
5/5.30 - Dinner
6/6.30 - bath/shower or get into pj's read a few books before bed and have a sippy cup of milk.
7pm - bed for the night.

For my dd, we find she is alot better off with a very structured routine. Somedays she sleeps in/gets up early or doesnt need a 3 hr nap, might just have 1-2hrs but i just go with it and follow her cues and addapt the day as best i can so it still runs smooth and is somewhat predictable for her her.
Every baby is different, if your bub's is happy and thriving without much of a routine then i wouldnt be stressing over making one up. You probably have one already and you are not aware! even if its what you do to get him to bed at night.

This is the exact routine I have lol ... My kids are 2 1/2 & 4 ... When the little one goes down for afternoon sleep the big one does craft or quiet play

[Hunkamunka]

It's okay haha I know what you meant anyway :) I'm thinking about cutting my hours down at work because my DD is babysat by family every time and she can end up with 3 or more different people in a week. It confuses her as they all do things differently.

I think the best way for a routine to he established in my house will probably be a) cut back work hours, b) get myself into a routine, c) make a routine for DD based on mine. And I will sit down tonight and have a good hard think about that tonight.

She hasn't been to a proper day care before. But maybe there is a routine plan online for what day care follows? I will have a look.

Aww that's really good that your DD's routine is so well balanced and she knows it already.

I used to work in childcare....
At my centre the days went pretty much like this:
6am-9am - Cntre open, kids rock up/some toast is put on a table for the kids that didnt have a chance to eat breaaky.
9.30- kids divide into their own rooms ir baby/toddler/kinder ect.
9.30-11.30- structured play indoors or out. They try to get them out as much as possible in the fresh air (when appropriate).
11.30 - hot cooked lunch
12-2pm - sleep time for the little ones have cots or on little mattresses on the floor. Rooms are darkened and realxing soft music is played. Bottles/cups of milk/dummys are given to the kids who have them. The kinder kids go outside, the 3yr olds have quiet rest/reading time. They also accomodate for the babies who have numerous naps during day. Usually cots are positioned in a 'quiet area' up the back of a room for them.
2pm- wake up and do activities
3pm - arvo tea fruit and milk
3.30-5pm pack up/clan up/free play - pick up times start.
5.30pm - a late snak offered to the kids that were still at the centre usually just a bickie and cheese.
6pm - centre close.

Hope that helps