so i just had a good conversation with a sweet friend, who like me, is having a hard time with balancing her days. jude is almost 3 & i'm just now finding a good balance with my cleaning, projects, quiet times, laundry, etc. i am SUCH a neat freak & pretty much over the top about things being organized. i've relaxed A LOT since being married & even more since having kids... ask my husband. :)
here's what my normal weekly schedule looks like (or at least what the plan for the week is it usually ends up changing quite a bit & i've learned to be ok with that)...
*monday-friday
-wake up at 6 to workout for 30 mins, take a shower, choose my scripture for the day that i meditate on throughout the day (read my post about that here), pray for my guys.
-boys up between 6 & 7... i'm praying they start sleeping later!! :)
-boys changed, breakfast, play time/quality time with the boys all morning!
-snack around 9:30-10
-lunch around 12
-nap around 1 (while they nap i do whatever i wasn't able to get done before they got up that morning & spend time reading a book because i pretty much have no other time during my day to read)
-up from naps around 3-4
-snack when they wake up (my boys do better with food in their bellies... keeps their blood sugar up & they seem to be happier)
-start making dinner around 4-4:30
-dinner around 5-5:30
-take oliver for a walk around 6:30
-get the boys ready for bed at 7
-family worship at 7:30
-boys in bed at 8
-prayer & scripture with michael after boys are in bed & house is picked up
-in bed by 9:30!!!!!!! (i've ALWAYS needed at least 8 hours of sleep to feel rested... i NEED to get in bed early. doesn't look like that's happening tonight. ;) )
*tuesday
-i do laundry in the morning & fold it during their naps & listen to a book on tape about parenting so i'm getting 2 things done at once!
-between 9 & 10 jude & i work on art, colors & shapes
-11-12:30 i meet with 2 friends for accountability
*wednesday
-mike watches the boys from 7-9 so i can have some alone time at starbucks... AMAZING
-between 9 & 10 jude & i work on letters, numbers & reading
-small group 6-8
*thursday
-we usually go do something fun (i.e. the children's museum, story time, zoo, etc). i try to only be away from the house 2 mornings a week
*friday
-i do laundry in the morning & fold it during their naps
-jude & i do music or cook together
*extras
-i usually do dishes while the boys are eating so i'm not wasting time doing that later in the day
-i plan our menu at the beginning of the week & only buy the groceries i need to make those meals so we don't waste money on food that ends up sitting in the fridge & going bad
-i put EVERYTHING in my calendar on my iPhone (& everything is color coded)!
-we do fun stuff together as a family on saturday & monday
-mike & i have a date once a week on monday nights
-i only clean the house every other week the rest of the time i just pick things up so it looks clean :)
-i only clean when mike is home on his day off so the boys are happy
-i only make phone calls during naps so i'm not taking time away from the boys
-i limit my time on my phone for facebook & emails
-i've learned to be ok with moving all my random little "to dos" to the next day. i currently have like 10 to dos that have piled up because i keep moving them. :) they'll get done eventually.
there are so many things competing for our attention... let our children ALWAYS win our attention & affection & love & time! we will never get these moments back with them! there are many days that i fail at all of this & spend way too much time looking at my phone or trying to organize the house, but God is gracious! there are many days i'm so frustrated with how messy the house is or how i can't have a moment alone, but God is gracious! He sustains me & He gives me grace to give to my children... it is none of my doing... i cannot boast in my own abilities.
"so teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12
al
3 comments:
i just went to a class tonight for my work. the speaker was teaching on the importance of "play." the class is not from a christian perspective, but she did a lovely time of bringing conviction to my own life. she talked about how vital "play" time with our kids is. studies have shown that the "play/learning" that children get between the ages of infancy to five actually have more of an impact on their lifetime learning than any other age. it made me think about how amazing God is... our children are sooo needy at this age, and it can be really tough, and yet in giving them that time, we are building their lifelong learning skills. and of course... we are also delighting in what God delights in – His children. great post. thanks for sharing al!
i really like this post. i like your schedule. i think i will have to do something similar when i have little ones!
love you camryn!!!!
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