do you live by routines- Thrive on them or no?

[mudnuri]

Here in this house- we are a routine family.

Once DD8 was born, simple routines began that have been tweeked until close to perfection (for us). for instance

DD's get off the bus
Empty backpack
Put away lunch bag
Get snack
Do reading homework
Do math homework
then play

after supper
DD's shower
lay out clothes for next day
pick up room
play/read
quiet time
bed

DD's have friends who have no set routine, they seem to be the ones who are up late, tired at school, homework not always done etc.

Even when the DD's were in soccer 2x a week- on different teams mind you, we still had routines, only they adjusted to the time differences etc..

My family thrives on them- Yours?

I sort of think that if we did not have routines, I'd be completely frazzled...???

Any thoughts?
Brandy

 

[grinningghost]

Not many. The only ones that are carved in stone for me are:

Wake up
Feed cats (always the cats first or they drive me nuts)
Feed dog
Give dog her meds
Scoop cat boxes
Walk on treadmill while watching "Fox & Friends"

And in between all of this, I'm generally yelling to DD to wake up, and she's yelling "5 more minutes".

After she's gone to school, I just let things roll and see what happens.

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by mudnuri

I sort of think that if we did not have routines, I'd be completely frazzled...???

Any thoughts?
Brandy

I totally agree. I am a very scheduled person. If anything throws me off, I get a bit edgy...ok, pretty much psycho, LOL! Sometimes I almost think Im too scheduled and its not a good thing, but I need organization and it works for me.

We too have friends who have no schedule, no plan, etc... Their inlaws are always saying to us they need a routine or a schedule like us because they never get anything done. They end up eating dinner at the time my kids are going to bed (8:00pm) or they will do homework at 9:00 some nights(kids are 5 & 7). I couldnt live like that, but I guess some people do it and that works for them.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I have certain routines that I stick with (I just started a household control journal to help me stay organized), but I'm also flexible in many ways. I have a schedule that I stick to when cleaning the house or I'd forget to do things and the house would quickly become a pigsty. I know that on Tuesdays I clean basically the front part of my house, Wednesdays the back, Thursdays the kitchen. Some weeks I get ahead of the schedule so I can have free Friday (never really free since I always have errands, etc...). I try not to be too hard on myself when I get off track, but try to get back on track as soon as I can.

Problem is with 4 kids, dog, and cats, I need to plan for the unexpected.

T&B

 

[KimR]

We have to have a routine or nothing would ever get done and I'd lose my mind. I have 3 girls, all in gymnastics. DD12 practices 4X a week, Mon, Wed, Fri. from 5:00 - 8:30 and Saturdays 9 - 1. DD6 practices on Mon and Wednesdays from 6:00 - 8:00. DD3 goes on Mon from 5:00 - 6:00. It is quite a challenge to get them all fed, to and from the gym, homework done, baths, and then in to bed by a reasonable time. I absolutely love Tues and Thursdays when we can relax a bit...even then I still stick to a routine so we are able to have a few hours of 'down time' in the evenings.

 

[Pugdog007]

Yes. I think it's a necessity for those who work.

 

[dg39]

I need to be scheduled and have a routine. Other wise everything gets all messed up. When the kids are home for holidays,summer vacations and when my dh is home during the week, everything gets thrown off schedule and I don't know whether I'm coming or going. I love my routine.