Establishing an Afternoon Routine

August 5, 2013 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Of our three routines – Evening, Morning, and Afternoon, our afternoon routine is the most flexible.

Having soccer practices last year and drama rehearsals this year, we will adjust as needed to get homework completed.

The goal of our afternoon routine is to finish up the school day before dinner.

Prior to establishing an afternoon routine, I really didn’t think I needed to plan doing homework.

However, dealing with who got help first and where to sit at the table and playing while waiting for help demanded some ground rules and a routine.

Now, that both of my school-aged children will attend full day, our routine should be simpler this year. This is how we roll in our afternoon routine.

Our Afternoon Routine

The homework section of the afternoon begins once we arrive home from running errands and playing outside.

Unload the Van

As the children enter the house, they park their backpacks in their designated spaces in our hallway. Each of the children have a section of the wall to place their items.

Once parked, they unload their lunch bags and place them on the kitchen counter by the toaster oven.

Change Clothes

Usually my children prefer to change out of their uniforms into play clothes. While they change, I prepare an afternoon snack.

Snack

As a bridge between lunch and dinner, the snack provides nourishment and energy. If they do not get a snack before starting homework, then frustration and irritability will arise. Learning from past incidents, we start homework with a snack.

Homework

After snack, we alternate between my son and daughter as to who will sit with me first. Both of them sit at the table. I will help both of them get started, and then I will work with one to completion and then work with the other.

My son is getting to the point where he can do his own homework. He just needs help studying and reviewing his items. My youngest daughter draws at the table, watches a movie, or plays quietly in the living room during this time.

When homework is done, all school work is packed up and returned to their backpacks. The children are free to play, watch a movie, or rest. During this time, I prepare or finish dinner and clean out their lunch bags to air out for the next day’s lunch.

At the end of our afternoon routine, all backpacks are ready for the next school day.

Establishing an Afternoon Routine

As a stay-at-home mom, I use time in the afternoon to get homework done. If you are a working parent, then your evening routine will include homework. The goal is to find what works for your family and adjust as needed to using time wisely.

When we worked through establishing an afternoon routine, these tips helped us nail down specifics:

1. Choose a space in which to work. Though my children have desks and small tables, we found working at the dining room table the best space for completing homework.

2. Designate sections. When one child is working with me, then he or she is sitting in the chair next to me. The other child is sitting on another side of the table to give room for working alone. When the first child is done, then the second child moves over to the chair next to me.

3. Keep supplies handy. Each of my children keeps a pencil box on the bookshelf in our dining room. The pencil boxes contain erasers, glue sticks, scissors, and pencils. We also keep crayons, colored pencils, markers, dry-erase boards and markers, and extra paper on the shelves to assist with homework tasks.

4. Clean up. Homework is not finished until all supplies and backpacks are returned to their homes. By working at the dining room table, we must clean up before dinner to have a place to eat. 😉

With lots of flexibility built into our daily schedules, I find our evening, morning, and afternoon routines helpful to keep my family on track. The late morning and early afternoon time is spent cleaning, running errands, appointments, meetings, playing, and taking care of life.

Each day is its own and is unlike any other day. However, establishing routines brings our family back together, puts us on the same page, and helps us in using time wisely. Happy routine making!

Question: What are your tips for assisting with homework?

Establishing a Morning Routine

July 29, 2013 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Dusting off the alarm clock from its summer break, our family is gearing up for the start of the school year.

We started with our evening routine tonight to help our family transition into early mornings for the upcoming start of school.

Honestly, I’m torn. I really enjoy having my kids home and running around playing at the park, going on outings with friends, and hanging out without a set schedule for the summer.

On the other hand, I also like the scheduled routine of school and watching my children learn and grow in their knowledge and application of that knowledge.

While using time wisely this summer, we have had a great time. As we wind down, we will implement our morning routine.

Our Morning Routine

To start off our mornings, Paul and I rise before the children. This gives us time to get ourselves ready and to have some peace and quiet. We typically rise 20 – 30 minutes prior to waking the children.

Wake Up

After Paul and I get ready, we divide and conquer. We each take a room either the nursery or the older kids’ room. Once everyone is up and working on getting ready, Paul heads downstairs to make breakfast. I remain upstairs to oversee brushing teeth, helping with buttons and zippers, and untying knots from stubborn tennis shoes.

Breakfast

Once everyone is dressed, we head downstairs with their drinks from the prior night. When breakfast is ready, the children go to the table and eat. Daddy gives each of us a kiss and hug before heading out to work.

While the children eat, I pack their lunches and snacks and write their lunch notes for the day. If I have time to eat my breakfast, then I do. If not, I take it with me on the way to school.

Cleanup

As the children finish breakfast, they ask to be excused and clear off their places. They help me clear the table and rinse the dishes. Depending on the day, some eat quicker than others, so my routine is flexible. After breakfast, I become a hair dresser.

Grooming

Brushing each of their hair and styling it, I work on a first come, first served basis. Once their hair is groomed, they put their lunch boxes in their backpacks and head to the van. I will finish any last minute clean up and make sure all the bags are missing from their assigned places (more on this coming in the afternoon routine).

Leave for School

If I still need breakfast, then I take it with me along with my purse. I help the preschooler buckle into the van, and then we head to school which concludes our morning routine.

Establishing a Morning Routine

Similar to our evening routine, our morning routine contains the same set of activities in the same order. The repetition gives an ebb and flow to our mornings. Without our morning routine (think Sunday mornings), we are out of sync, and we take more time going back and forth getting items we need.

In establishing a morning routine, I find these tips helpful:

1. Wake up before children. I’m a late owl, so I do not rise early. However, I need a little quiet to myself before starting the day. Even 15 minutes is great for focusing on the task ahead.

2. Build in extra time. Some days will have more hiccups than others. With a little extra time built in, you won’t be scrambling to get out of the house.

3. Use a meal planner for lunches. With a plan and supplies on hand, you can make or gather the items for lunches quickly without having to send money for pizza at the last minute. I also keep sausage on a stick packages in the freezer for mornings that need a quick breakfast we can eat in the van.

4. Give yourself grace. Chaos is going to happen at some point. Whether milk gets spilled, the phone rings, or the car won’t start, try to relax. Prepare for what you know is coming, and then handle the surprises as they come.

In using time wisely to prepare for the start of school, we are establishing a morning routine. With a plan in place that meets our family’s needs, we will repeat the sequence of events. We might still have our eyes closed, but the memory of our routine will kick into gear.

As you work through establishing a morning routine, start with a successful evening routine to get your day off to a great start. Happy discovering!

Question: What helps your mornings go smoothly?

Establishing an Evening Routine

July 22, 2013 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Grateful that we are still enjoying our summer break, I am gearing up to return our family to our school routine a week or two before the first day. With our relaxed summer routine coming to an end, we will revisit establishing an evening routine.

In dealing with schedules, no two days are identical. As we spontaneously go for a walk or drive to the park, we would not keep to a rigid schedule, nor would I want to be tied down.

Though I stay very organized, I do not keep our family on a timed schedule. Instead we have routines composed of the same activities in the same order but the amount of time spent each day varies.

Thinking of our change from summer to school, I want our mornings to be as non-hurried as possible. To do so, I begin by establishing an evening routine.

Preparing the night before will give us a jump start on the morning. In using time wisely, I find doing some basics enough to start our mornings off well, so enjoy a peek into our evening routine.

Our Evening Routine

At some point every evening, we have dinner or supper. This gathering of the family ends our afternoon routine and begins our evening routine.

Dinner

Typically, we eat around 6:00 p.m. during the school year. Some nights might be earlier or later depending on entertaining, activities, meetings, etc. In our home, we all eat the evening meal at the dining room table after Paul gets home from work.

Upon finishing their meal and asking to be excused, our children clear their dishes and move to the living room to play. Usually, Paul and I get a few minutes to chat before calling over our helpers to clear the table, load the dishwasher, and cleanup.

Play

During this time, our children exercise. They may rough house, play outside, go for a walk, or play a game. If homework did not get finished during our afternoon routine, then we finish it before playing.

On those nights when homework goes all the way to bedtime, we will extend play to allow this child time to burn some energy. Play continues until around 8:00 p.m. when we move to preparing for bed.

Preparing for Bed

Beginning by getting their drinks filled up to take to their rooms, we move our activities upstairs. The children bathe, put on their pajamas, brush teeth, and go potty. They also help or get out their clothing for the morning and place those items on their dressers. As they finish, each of our older children get in their beds.

Devotions

With the older children in their bunks, Paul, our youngest daughter, and I sit on the floor of their room while Paul leads our family in a short time of devotion, encouragement, instruction, and prayer. We then sing a song or two before giving hugs and kisses to each other.

Reading

After the older two settle back into bed, I read a chapter or two of our current read aloud. We have already read through the entire Nancy Drew hardback series (through book 56), around 17 of the Hardy Boys collection, and a few classics like Charlotte’s Web. When I finish reading, I kiss them both and turn out their light.

The preschooler is welcome to stay for the reading until she gets into trouble or I finish reading. Then she goes to bed.

Quiet Time

Paul and I then get our quiet time between 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. until we head to bed. 🙂

Establishing an Evening Routine

If you are new to planning a routine or need to readjust yours to better suit your growing family, then consider these tips to establishing an evening routine:

1. Choose parameters for your routine. For our family we start at dinner and end at bedtime.

2. Work around your family’s natural tendencies. If your family watches television together or goes to the gym, then work those into your routine.

3. Stay flexible. Some days will go more smoothly than others. If we are getting home late, then we forego the play time, and I will get the children’s clothes out for the next morning.

4. Be patient. Finding your own routine takes time. During the process, finding what doesn’t work is just as helpful as discovering what does.

In using time wisely, establishing an evening routine saves our family time and energy. We all know the typical schedule and move seamlessly through the stages.

When we first established our evening routine, we helped our children by telling them to go play or brush their teeth. Though we still need to prod every now and then, they usually go into auto-pilot and follow the routine.

As you gear up for the start of the school year, I’m wishing you a smooth transition as you establish an evening routine. Though I’m not in a hurry for my children to return to school, the time is coming. We’ll be establishing our evening routine no later than the week before school starts. Happy routine testing!

Question: What do you include in your evening routine?

Delight in No-brainer Routines

May 6, 2013 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Not sure if this happens to you, but I can finish a day and feel like I have accomplished nothing.

I can get my children off to school, maintain the house by picking up a few things, make the meals, clean up, help with homework, run to and from school, play with my children, and feel exhausted at the end of the day.

In this typical scenario, I did accomplish much as I exerted lots of energy which resulted in a well-fed, well-cared for, and happy family. So, if you are struggling with days where nothing but the ordinary gets done, delight in your no-brainer routines.

My No-brainer Routine

I’m sure you have at least one no-brainer routine. These are routines where you don’t need to think. Your brain goes on auto-pilot, and the task gets done which saves you from exerting brain power and energy.

One of mine is making lunches for my children. I follow the same routine each weekday morning. As long as I am not interrupted, I make the sandwiches, add the snacks, and place the thermoses in their lunch bags.

Without having to think about supplies, items, or which bag gets which item, I accomplish the task with little effort. It is not that the task is mundane, but that I have perfected the system to a no-brainer routine.

Paul’s No-brainer Routine

My husband also has a no-brainer routine in the morning. He puts on his Bat belt (his term for it). He goes through a series of adding his handkerchief, wallet, MP3 player, belt, two cell phones, and other accessories. Leaving any one of these items at home creates a disruption to his day.

However, knowing what he needs, creating a routine, and following that same pattern each day results in a no-brainer routine that saves energy and time.

As you go about your week and you find days where you feel like you haven’t accomplished anything, focus on what tasks you completed. Every day is not going to be Facebook-worthy, but those little tasks repeated day after day serve a purpose. Delight in no-brainer routines because they are the glue that holds your life together.

On those mundane days, look for a bright spot. Give yourself grace. You need to rest, play, and enjoy life. The To-do list is still there and will stay there until you can get to it.

(Writing this to myself as I get tied to my To-Do list way too often. I needed this reminder.) Learning to delight!

Question: What are your no-brainer routines?

Vacation Recovery . . . Almost

August 27, 2012 by Tracy

Though we are back from our long and much-needed vacation, I am far from caught up and in my groove. With late nights, late mornings, and naps as needed, I’m not sure I want to fully recover from our vacation routine. 😉

Overcoming the piles of laundry, snagging the last few back-to-school items, and squeezing in those last days of summer fun, I have mixed feelings about this week of vacation recovery. On the one hand, I am ready to get back on a routine as I really. need. my. exercise. time. back. I look forward to keeping the same routine each day and knowing where to fit in exercise, errands, cleaning, homework, and extra activities.

But the flip side of this equation is that our summer fun is coming to a close. Gone are the late nights watching the Olympic athletes strive for gold, the all-day carefree days spent splashing and swimming at the water park, the family outings, summer picnics, and double-header baseball games. In using time wisely, I have maximized the time I have had with my kids this summer. We are not promised today, tomorrow, this school year, or next summer.

As I plan for our new routine (taking effect this week), I choose to enjoy the process. This season of change will have its challenges, but with brand-new school supplies, new teachers, and a fresh start, I’m embracing this up-coming school year.

With no regrets from the summer, I press on. Like the mound of clothes in the laundry pile, the start of this new school year may overwhelm. But by taking the pile and sorting it – breaking it down into manageable chunks – I will find a schedule that works for our family. This is my plan as I emerge from vacation recovery . . . almost.

While you finish your summer or adapt to a new routine, press on without regrets. Make sure the important things get done today while using time wisely.

Question: How is your schedule or routine changing?