Guilty

Yes, you read that right; I'm guilty. But of what? I am guilty of not putting my girls on a regular daily schedule and sticking to it. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Big deal, there are worse things to be guilty of." But everytime I read a parenting magazine or listen to someone else describe their day they always mention how important having your children on a regular schedule is. Now that's not to say I haven't tried, because I have.

I think the reason J and I have so much trouble getting BooBoo to follow a schedule/routine is because when we had her, we were both still full-time college students. I was a Sophomore and J was a Junior. We had classes early in the morning and late at night. We could not even put together a regular schedule for ourselves. Granted, I was out of school for the first five and a half months of BooBoo's life but as soon as we got a routine down it was right back to the chaos of classes. Trying to maintain a routine got pushed to the wayside.

Fast forward three years and here we are today. A new apartment and a new baby sister. I just started back to work two days a week at seven hours each day. J and I have arranged our work schedules so that the girls do not need to be placed in daycare. (Not that I have anything against daycare, because BooBoo was in daycare for a year). It is just nicer to be home with them everyday. Since one of us is home everyday I think it will be easier for BooBoo to fall into a routine. I would love to eventually be one of those moms who can say, "Well, BooBoo gets up at this time and then she does this, and this, and tisand then she goes to bed". I have to sit back and laugh at times because even though BooBoo does not have a routine, she is a remarkable little girl. She has an imagination that could make authors and playwrights jealous. She can also remember everything (well, almost everything) that she hears. So I try not to worry too much about if I am scarring her for life by not having a regular routine.

So, what have I learned in my 3 1/2 years as a parent? I have learned that while research and parenting magazine have good intentions for the development of our children, we have to remember that life will get in the way. There will be days when staying in the house in your pajamas is all that you will do. There will be those overnights at the grandparents (or any family member) where nothing is routine. :) You just have to try to go with the flow and work through these "roadblocks".Oh, and remember to breathe!