I love a good routine as much as the next mom. Having a schedule just makes everything seem to run easier until it doesn't. Ever since I have had children the sense of a routine has been constantly evolving. Whenever we seem to get some kind of routine going there is always something that throws a wrench in one of the cogs. Having three children means that a lot of wrenches are being thrown at any one time. Sickness, parties, activities, school projects, and homework are just a few wrenches that my husband and I are constantly dodging on a daily basis. I becoming sure that this will be our normal routine for our whole life.
At the end of the summer I remember uttering the words "I'm so looking forward to getting back into a routine once school starts." I also remember my husband laughing in my face at this absurd statement. This year more than any other we haven't been able to get any kind of rhythm for longer than a two week stretch. When school started this year we had two kids going off to school instead of one. We jumped into our new normal and two weeks later I started a new job. I was now working three nights a week and my husband and my girls had to navigate without me. We settled into yet another new rhythm of having a working mom and then two weeks later we had break with labor day. After the break we got back to another familiar schedule and then two weeks later our kindergartener was diagnosed with COVID. After our quarantine and 10 days of E Learning we started to get back in the swing. However as soon as we blinked Fall Break was upon us two weeks later. This is only a two month snapshot of my ever changing scheduled life with children.
These waves of change have been happening since our first baby popped out. I remember I kept saying "It'll be nice when we can get her on a schedule." However, everything was in constant flux. Every time we feel like we figured something out she would drop a nap or start eating solids or start crawling. Nothing is constant with kids which is the only constant things about all kids. When our second little lady showed up I knew things were going to be even more off balanced. My expectations were totally correct. From the time my second child was 6 months old we were in the Emergency Room every two weeks until she was five years old because of breathing issues. I knew that every time I felt like I had things under control something would happen to throw it out of control. Everything is ever evolving when kids are in our lives. As a mom of three I have gotten very good at adapting but I am not good at finding a solid routine.
Routines are really just guidelines when you have children. Schedules are really just suggestions when kids are involved. Programming each day is impossible as long as my little ladies are in my life. Often the changes to our routines are good things. Sometimes a friend calls and you drop everything to go to lunch. Sometimes your kids are crazy and stop everything to take them for a much needed park break. Sometimes it is mentally healthy to stop everything and just have a "do nothing" day. A halt in the schedule is sometimes a much needed blessing that we didn't know we needed. Whatever the reason for the disruption of our schedules you can rest in the assurance that everything will constantly be changing. Because life always likes to keep us on our toes.
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