A 'Routined' Day with a 1 Year Old
Coming into the toddler stage of motherhood, I feel like a new mom once again. Everything feels different and like another challenge. A long while back I wrote a post about how I struggled with the boredom and longevity of my days with my 5-month old. (Find this here: A 'Routined' Day with a Pre-Crawler.) At times I still feel this way, but I have kept up my practice of scheduling and writing out my days, which has saved me from weeks of going crazy.
While I no longer feel the same type boredom feeling with a toddler as I did with a baby, I do have days that feel extremely long, exhausting, and like I am simply spinning in circles while getting nothing accomplished. Keeping up with a consistant schedule has been an extreme help for myself to feel productive, to make sure my daughter is getting the play attention she needs, and to feel that my days go by with meaning and focus.
Here is an example of a 'Routined' Day with my 1 Year Old for a SAHM:
6 - 6:30 - Wake up and take time to just BREATHE for a bit before my 1 year old is on the go. This has become incredibly important for me lately...I don't force myself to do anything other than reading devotions (See my post on the First 5 App Here) in this time, just to be prepared to face the day. Right now, this is what I need to do --- probably mostly because of pregnancy :)
6:30-7:30 - Toddler wakes up, feeding bottle and banana, read books together, and have breakfast.
7:30-8:30 - Intentional play with toddler... (This ALWAYS includes music!).
8:30-10:00 - Morning nap. During this time I do one chore, get ready, have coffee, blog, etc.
10:00-10:30 - Snack time while I do dishes and clean up the kitchen.
10:30-11:30 - Get outside for a walk, go to the park or the library or grocery shopping.
11:30 - 12:00 - Lunch
12:00 - 12:30 - Quiet play
12:30 - 2:30 - Afternoon nap. During this time I may do some more cleaning if need be, focus on bracelet making (See post on Why I Make Bracelets), more writing, getting dinner prepped, and any other tasks I need to complete that day.
2:30 - 3:00 - Snack time while I do some lunch clean up
3:00 - 4:00 - Either get out again for a playdate or do an activity at home. Recently our activities have included colouring with markers or crayons and edible paints.
4:00 - 4:30 - Toddler watches a 20 minute show while I get dinner ready.
4:30 - 5:00 - Playtime together before dinner.
5:00 - 6:00 - Dinner, Daddy comes home, Bathtime, etc.
6:00-7:00 - Playtime with Daddy and get ready for bed!
There are days when we chose to get out more than others or when we switch things up completely. Recently, (since I have been stuck at home for the past month) I have come to realize how important it is for my daughter to stick to some type of schedule most of the time. This allows her naps to be more consistant and I find that in turn, she is happier because of it.
While I no longer feel the same type boredom feeling with a toddler as I did with a baby, I do have days that feel extremely long, exhausting, and like I am simply spinning in circles while getting nothing accomplished. Keeping up with a consistant schedule has been an extreme help for myself to feel productive, to make sure my daughter is getting the play attention she needs, and to feel that my days go by with meaning and focus.
Here is an example of a 'Routined' Day with my 1 Year Old for a SAHM:
6 - 6:30 - Wake up and take time to just BREATHE for a bit before my 1 year old is on the go. This has become incredibly important for me lately...I don't force myself to do anything other than reading devotions (See my post on the First 5 App Here) in this time, just to be prepared to face the day. Right now, this is what I need to do --- probably mostly because of pregnancy :)
6:30-7:30 - Toddler wakes up, feeding bottle and banana, read books together, and have breakfast.
7:30-8:30 - Intentional play with toddler... (This ALWAYS includes music!).
8:30-10:00 - Morning nap. During this time I do one chore, get ready, have coffee, blog, etc.
10:00-10:30 - Snack time while I do dishes and clean up the kitchen.
10:30-11:30 - Get outside for a walk, go to the park or the library or grocery shopping.
11:30 - 12:00 - Lunch
12:00 - 12:30 - Quiet play
12:30 - 2:30 - Afternoon nap. During this time I may do some more cleaning if need be, focus on bracelet making (See post on Why I Make Bracelets), more writing, getting dinner prepped, and any other tasks I need to complete that day.
2:30 - 3:00 - Snack time while I do some lunch clean up
3:00 - 4:00 - Either get out again for a playdate or do an activity at home. Recently our activities have included colouring with markers or crayons and edible paints.
4:00 - 4:30 - Toddler watches a 20 minute show while I get dinner ready.
4:30 - 5:00 - Playtime together before dinner.
5:00 - 6:00 - Dinner, Daddy comes home, Bathtime, etc.
6:00-7:00 - Playtime with Daddy and get ready for bed!
There are days when we chose to get out more than others or when we switch things up completely. Recently, (since I have been stuck at home for the past month) I have come to realize how important it is for my daughter to stick to some type of schedule most of the time. This allows her naps to be more consistant and I find that in turn, she is happier because of it.
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Simply writing out my schedule daily takes away the overwhelming feeling of the hours ahead of me and the anxiety of not knowing what I am going to do all day. It makes the day seem shorter, more doable, and more enjoyable.
*Find my 'Routined' Day With a Crawler post here.
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