After reading the comments from my previous post and talking with a couple of friends, I realize that I really need more structure in my life. When I have too much time that is not already appropriated for this or that, I go nuts. So I developed a plan with Baby Luke this morning as we ate breakfast. I am going to call it a "plan" because if I call it a "schedule" I will freak out about trying to keep it. I tried it out so far today, and I like it.
Here goes:
6:30- 7:00am- wake up and morning snuggles, change diaper, feed baby, etc..
7:00- 8:00am- morning prayers, chores- make Nathan's lunch, tidy up, eat breakfast
8:00-9:00am- exercise- walk or a video depending on Luke's mood and the weather
9:00-10:30am- Luke naps, mommy cleans, has 10 minutes of prayer/silence**, looks up Saint of the Day to read and prints out icon for Luke
10:30-11:00am- snuggles, read, change diaper, feed baby, etc..
11:00-1:00pm- social time (usually a trip out of the house for errands or for coffee)
1:00-2:00pm- noon prayers, lunch, fruit for Luke, music and play time
2:00-3:30pm- Luke naps, mommy cleans, has 10 minutes of prayer/silence**, work on fun project or read
3:30-4:00pm- snuggles, read, change diaper, feed baby, etc..
4:00-5:00pm- Luke plays on the floor, mommy does chores if needed, or plays with Luke, reads out loud, etc..
5:00-6:00pm- dinner prep and walk around the block if Luke is fussy
6:00-6:30pm- dinner with Daddy and evening prayers
6:30-7:00pm- playtime with Daddy, bath, clean-up, into pj's, eat and sleep for Luke
7:00-9:30pm- free time- hang out with Nathan, watch a TV episode, read, projects, etc..
9:30pm- bed for Mommy
I know it looks complicated, but really, its not. The times are approximate. It is what we have been doing for a while now. my hardest part of the day is the 4-6pm time frame when I am tired, Luke is tired and we are eagerly awaiting Nathan's return home.
**I really like this time of day. I began trying to be quiet and pray for 10minutes a day during Lent. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it is an exercise for me to drop everything and be still. I was inspired by Met. Anthony Bloom's book, Beginning to Pray. It changed my life. It is, as the reviewers say, a modern spiritual classic. I so heartily recommend this book that I will send a free copy to the first two people who respond, who haven't read it. Don't put your address on the response, but let me know that you want it and we will work out the shipping details.
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6 comments:
Well, if it is ok for friends to participate, I would love to read that book. :)
I am currently working my way through "Life with God" by Richard Foster, and it is helping a lot. It is the sort of book that you read SLOWLY because every paragraph or two you want to stop and think and pray. Good stuff. Have you read it?
Also, I think your plan looks pretty good. I remember doing EXACTLY that kind of thinking/planning when I had Jonathan and was just learning how to handle life at home. As I've added more kids, the plan has become a lot less structured (more like: in the morning we do X on M/W/F, mid-day we do Y, after naps we do Z, etc.) Anyway I do find it helpful to have a plan and I hope that it makes your life easier, too!
Well, if friends can respond, I'll save you shipping. =)
However, FYI, I probably won't be there this coming Sunday...
I think your plan sounds like a really good idea; I'll have to remember that if I'm ever a mother...
Ok, the books are taken. I will deliver them shortly!
I remember having a similar plan when Tyler was little. The current plan is "wake up. survive. go to bed." Just kidding :) Believe it or not, there is still a lot of structure around here. We call it a routine instead of a schedule. The times vary greatly depending on many factors, but the same things happen at the same part of each day. Makes things a lot easier, doesn't it? And I still haven't figured out those afternoon hours that we seem to be waiting for Daddy.
Looks good! We've restructured our days around praying the Hours and it has made such a huge difference. Prayer and routine are very good.
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