Tag Archives: routine

It’s Always About Bedtime

Are you a strict parent or a lenient parent? Do you parent differently single than you did as part of a couple? I think so many things change when you get divorced it’s hard to know what to do. When I was first divorced I tried to figure out how to parent Hailey, I wasn’t sure if the way I had parented her up to that point had been what I really wanted or what I felt like I had to do. While I was trying to figure that out, guilt made me lenient. I let Hailey pretty much decide … Continue reading →

Tips For A Better School Year

A new school year is starting. Are you ready? For families of students with special needs, getting ready for a new school year involves more than buying new shoes, and gathering up school supplies. It also involves a partnership between parents, teachers, and school administrators. As a former teacher, who has worked in classrooms designed to meet the needs of children who had a variety of special needs, I thought I would share some advice that can help your child have a great school year. While some kids cannot wait for the new school year to start, this is often … Continue reading →

A Day in the Life of a One-Year-Old: Morning

I’m confident and comfortable with the fact that every child is different. Each child has different sleep habits, eating habits, and develops at his own rate. Still, I like to hear what other babies and mothers are going through to see how it compares to what my baby and I are experiencing. For this reason, I’m going to give you a day in the life of my one-year-old. I figure some of you reading this may also have a one-year-old, or a child close to that age. As your child goes through her day, you may be thinking, “Is that … Continue reading →

Should You Take a Spring Break from Fitness?

You didn’t really read this thinking I was going to suggest you take a break, did you? When I arrived to teach my fitness class this morning I learned that the facility had not scheduled classes due to Spring Break. That got me thinking, should we take a break? I do think it is important that you keep your routine fresh. Also, it is important to make sure that you don’t overtrain. I always suggest at least one day of rest and staggering days of resistance and cardio training. I don’t advise though, taking an actual break. Once you stop … Continue reading →

Bedtime With Baby

I go back and forth a lot on how to handle bedtime with our daughter. Up until this point, I’ve been very relaxed with our routine. If she seemed tired, I’d let her sleep. If she woke up and wasn’t happy being in bed, I’d take her out and hold her, feed her, or do whatever else it took to make her happy. In the last month, she settled into a routine by herself. She took naps about the same time each day and went to bed about the same time each night. However, things haven’t been so consistent lately. … Continue reading →

Baby: To Schedule, Or Not To Schedule?

My husband and I never considered putting our baby on a schedule while I was pregnant, and we didn’t think about it after she was born. When we thought she was hungry, I nursed her, and when she seemed tired, we let her sleep. I thought that was what most parents did, but as we talked to more and more new parents, we realized it’s very common for parents to get their babies on a regular schedule almost immediately. I admit that there were some days when I wondered if I was hurting our daughter by having a “go-with-the-flow” attitude. … Continue reading →

The Importance of Routine for a Young Child

As a person, I usually thrive more on the spontaneous rather than the routine. I tend to get inspired and follow those inspirations rather than doing the same things at the same time on the same days. That said, even I can recognize the benefit of a routine, especially when there are certain things that just need to be done. Even within a routine there can be some flexibility and spontaneity, but having a routine can make life with little ones much easier for everyone involved. Why is a routine so important for young children? Well, for one thing, a … Continue reading →

Back-to-School = Back to Regular Workouts

In a matter of days (if it hasn’t occurred already) your household will get back to “normal.” Meaning that the kids will be back in school and you can resume your “regular” exercise routine. For those of you who don’t have an existing fitness regime, the prospect of having your kids in school for six hours a day allows you to devote some time to working out. Seize the moment. Now that you have the time, make the most of it. Studies show that lack of time is the No.1 reason people say they don’t workout. Time is critical in … Continue reading →

How Long Should Bedtime Routine Take?

Judging from comments and questions, bedtime and sleep habits are one of the biggest issues that parents face. We all want to know how to get our babies to sleep through the night, how to keep toddlers from getting up in the night, and how to create a smooth and pleasant bedtime routine. One of the questions that come up is how long a typical bedtime routine should take? If you are starting your bedtime routine right after dinner and still trying to get your child to bed two hours later—it might not be working… I do think that it … Continue reading →

Moving and Making Changes with a Routine-Strict Child

Many of us are not too keen on change. In fact, if you ask most adults how they feel about pending changes–whether they are expected to be good or bad, they may confess that they are a little squeamish about change or that they just don’t “handle change well.” We know that flexibility is an important element in the single parent family, but if we are having trouble with change, some of our kids really have a hard time! Those children who really cling to and need routine and structure can really be thrown for a loop when it comes … Continue reading →