Help me with our daily routine!

[BeccaSueCongdon]

I *think* this goes in parenting... Someone move it if it doesn't.

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I'm really hitting a rut in our daily schedule, and I'd love some ideas for how to adjust/tweak/improve it. I have a 5 yo DS, a 2 yo DD, am expecting baby 3 in October, and I babysit a 3 yo boy 1-3 days a week (depending on his mom's schedule).

Here's what we have;

Weekdays
6:30am - kids wake us up to watch Wild Kratts
7-8:30 - everyone up, breakfast, showers/baths, dressed, chores and free play
8:30-10:30 - kids watch PBS
10:30-11am - play outside as a family
11am - back inside for lunch then free play
11:45- take big brother to school (M/W/F)
12:15-3:15 - big brother has preschool, little kids have naps & quiet free play
3:45/4 - everyone plays outside again
4:00 - free play inside while I make dinner
4:30 - eat dinner
5-6 - watch wild kratts & electric company and get ready for bed
6-6:30 - 2 bedtime stories, snuggles & listening to audiobook while falling asleep.
7p - kids finally asleep
Then I use the evening to finish up housework and laundry.

Two days a week my son doesn't have school, so on tues & thurs we do a one hour minimum quiet time right after lunch, and then anyone who is awake plays outside while the napping ones nap. On those days we do inside free play for the rest of the afternoon.

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My initial thoughts:
*They watch WAY more tv than I prefer. We got into the habit in my first trimester bc I was DOG TIRED. I'm back to my normal energy level now and don't want/need to lean on it as much.
*I'd like to incorporate the kids having chores, and eating tv time by helping with chores. Maybe with a ticket system. They earn tickets per chore, and use a certain number of tickets to watch a half hour show. Tickets can be lost for bad behavior. I know this will work like a charm for both kids.
*I NEED to work in some fitness time for me, I'm significantly overweight and need to incorporate regular exercise to improve my health and keep my pregnancy low risk.
*I'd love to add more reading time, some structured sensory playtime, and maybe some early learning activities. My son is especially interested in human anatomy (bones and organs and stuff).
*id also like to incorporate weekly outings - probably on our tues or thurs.

Ok... Thanks in advance everyone!

[Celeste]

Check your local libraries for story time or mommy and me yoga classes. Also, livingsocial and groupon often have 1/2 price kid stuff - aquariums, museums, zoo, etc. Do you have any local parks where the kids can ride bikes and you can walk for exercise? Also, if you have a Shapes fitness around you, they have free child care and are an all-women's gym. They aren't very expensive, either...I think I paid $99 down and pay $10 a month. They have lots of great classes, a pool, all that stuff. As for the science stuff, maybe you could plan one experiment a week, and hit up the library for books that go along with it. We are hatching butterflies right now, which has been really neat for the kids to watch. You can order the kits online.

Hope that helps!

[RainandRedemption]

I'd replace some of the morning tv time with something creative(play doh, paint, construction paper glue and scissors, bubbles) while listening to music. This does wonders for creative free play . Try to spend some time in the afternoon reading. Let each kid pick a book and you should have a lot of reading to do

Eta: instead of turning on the tv turn on music. Get a few balloons and play "keep it off the floor", that can be good exercise, or do stretches with them on the floor.

[happiness]

Perhaps join a moms group, church group, mops, or something where you can get out and connect with others. I get so many ideas of what to do with kids from the group I belong to. (Even when I can't make it to the activities I will use the idea later on with my kids.) It is nice to have playgroups/dates to look forward to and outings. We go to storytime on a regular basis and join the pool during the summer. Our community center has open gym play for 5 and under, maybe your location has something like that?

[BeccaSueCongdon]

All of your ideas have been awesome ladies! Keep them coming!

[ajane]

Join a gym. The kids get to play with new friends and toys, you get to exercise, and it takes up about 2 hours of time!

Go to story time at your local library.

Look for indoor play places and check out groupon for discounts.

Instead of having the tv on for 2 hours a morning, just let them play.

[PurpleFluff]

I found myself relying too heavily on tv also, so I started using kids music CDs for background noise instead. I've noticed they play better and more actively, and DS (age 14 mos) is much calmer with the music. There is a clear connection with him...the more tv, the more meltdowns he has.

Of course as I sit typing this we are watching tv :/ but hey, it's Saturday!

[BeccaSueCongdon]

Originally Posted by PurpleFluff I found myself relying too heavily on tv also, so I started using kids music CDs for background noise instead. I've noticed they play better and more actively, and DS (age 14 mos) is much calmer with the music. There is a clear connection with him...the more tv, the more meltdowns he has. Of course as I sit typing this we are watching tv :/ but hey, it's Saturday!

Thanks for your candor, and the idea. :-)

[abunchoflemons]

My church does group to take kids to, in door gym thing in city in winter for toddlers & up. Library story times. Outside time. Reading time as my daughter is supposed to for school. Craft time.....