Your unconventional schedules and scheduling “hacks”

[tracy777]

I’m curious to hear what sort of unusual/unconventional schedules you follow as SAHP with your kids. For example, does everyone get a bath at 10am? Eat dinner at 4pm? I’m looking for some potential “hacks” to work into our daily routine which has gone all topsy turvy recently.

My 3.5yo goes to preschool 5 days a week (hours are flexible) as per my husband’s request. I’m a SAHM but he wanted my child to have some exposure to activities and things I wouldn’t be able to manage at home as a mom of two. Recently though, my child’s school has dropped naps and omg is it a painful transition. She still needs the naps and has had to start sleeping close to 6:30 as opposed to her usual 8:30 of the past. This means we’re having dinner around 5pm. Also, I’m trying to maintain her having more time at home with me than at her school, so I’m bringing her to her school quite “late” (9:30ish) by the standard of what I see other parents do. Just trying to see if there’s anything I can change about our schedule to maximize our best time together. I want to do what’s best for my kiddo and our relationship, as the 5:30pm massive meltdowns are doing a number on my patience (I’m usually alone until 7pm).

So please share your hacks—any and all, regardless of if your child has some outside school or activities or not.

 

[betaninja]

@tracy777 I actually love the idea of a 6:30 bedtime! Our weirdness is we often do bathtime first thing in the morning or after breakfast. Sometimes before lunch. She can spend 30-60min easy playing, so while she plays, i clean the bathroom. Little bathroom, only one we have, but I can do a full clean including floor (minus shower) while she plays and ideally baby naps or watches. Two birds, one stone.

 

[mr3]

@tracy777 I don't keep a schedule. If I'm hungry I eat, if I'm tired I sleep. Sometimes we eat at 4 and go to bed at 6:30. Sometimes we eat at 7 and stay up too late. My son is 6 and in kindergarten, and this is how I've always done things. I also let.my kids eat when hungry, ill just warm it up, and we sit at the table, and I'll read a book for school log or whatever. We wake up at 8 am, get a shower and get dressed for school and I drive him to school at 9. Pick up at 3:30.

 

[davidjb]

@tracy777 We are vampires and stay up late! My toddler goes to bed at the same time as us (10-10:30pm). She wakes up around 9:30-10am. This lets my spouse and child have lots of time together in the evenings and the later wake up doesn’t matter since I’m home during the day.

 

[loreec]

@tracy777 We don’t do a schedule at all, we just have a “sleep goal”. As long as my toddler sleeps at least nine hours…everything else works itself out.

We get out of the house and do plenty during the day but not rushed at all. Hell, we have a road trip to my parents today and I still haven’t packed (I was also sick last week though, AND I’m pregnant so I’m taking things slowly)

 

[hopeatl]

@tracy777 My unconventional(?) hack is that my toddler showers with me most of the time. This is new in the last few months but it works out well for us and that way I’m not spending time bathing myself and her separately. I also do this at whatever time of day or night suits our needs.

I still get some solo showers in, especially when I need to cry in the shower which is, thankfully, not often.

 

[reginagrg]

@tracy777 I think it's helpful to have a set routine. So I'd stick to the same school hours every day of you can. Can you shift her time at school earlier so you can do a nap at home on the afternoon. Maybe she could do school from 830-1230. Then naps from 1-2.

 

[tracy777]

@reginagrg I wish. Since she moved up in her class for the new year to the next age group, they phased out the nap and made that the time for the special activities wotj teachers who come in each week (such as art, language, etc.) It would be a shame to have her miss that time. I’ve certainly considered it though. Especially given the increasingly difficult tantrums that are largely due to exhaustion.

 

[reginagrg]

@tracy777 Augh. Well that sucks. For what its worth, I don't think there is anything wrong with doing bedtime early and a 630 bedtime if that's what she needs.

 

[caoc24843]

@tracy777 Dinner at 5pm then straight to the local school to hang outside with neighborhood families at the playground until bed. We do this almost every day.