The Routine.....

There's one of me.
There's four of them. (Plus two puppies!!!)
It took awhile to regain composure and reestablish a routine that met everyone's needs.
As I've said in earlier posts, my needs are generally met in the early a.m. before I am bombarded with needs and requests, questions and stories, hair and homework, emails and conferences.......oh, the list is endless!!!!!

We awake EARLY - a full two hours before school. The kids know - they are not to emerge before dressed (unless they awake extra early) and beds are made, laundry collected and ready for breakfast. Of course, this is perfection and laden with reminders and redirection, but as they age, it gets better and better.

Following a quick breakfast with lunch boxes in hand, we head out the door. They are not allowed to buy school lunch more than once (OCCASIONALLY twice) per week so while they dress, I prepare breakfast and lunch. We usually leave the house at around 7:30 a.m. as Jammers hits the bus at 8:00 and I need some before school time to organize. My position as a duty aide begins at 8:30 so I lost an extra 40 minutes in the morning. It hasn't been bad.

After school, I also duty aide. Once done, I meet the kids in my classroom - there is NO play allowed until the majority of homework is done. This is the motivator for hard work - in addition, the best time to have my attention if needed for assignments. Generally, we leave school around 5 p.m. - sometimes a little later, but I try to keep to a schedule for their sake. Near 5:30, we enter our home.

At this hour, I start dinner and the little ones start baths and showers. By 6:30, we sit down to a family dinner. This is an important, decompressing time of the day and the t.v. is off, the phone off the hook. The kids set the table and clear. It's one of the times I learn the most about my kids.

By 7:30, the dishes are cleared. There is a bit of time for relaxation before read alouds and tuck-ins.

8:30-9:00, my house is closed for the day. The dishwasher is humming and so too are the washer and drier. Responsibilities complete, we hunker down for another LLOONNNNGGG day ahead.

People often compliment us on our "togetherness." (LOL - for awhile we were anything BUT!) Really, we couldn't function without a clock, a calendar and a routine!