I’m going to go against the grain in today’s blog post.  Health visitors will advise (or at least I’ve been advised in the past) not to put your baby into a routine until after six months old.  I like to call what I do a ‘structure’.  I do this and have continued to put structures in place for my children because it is how my family manage to get things done, spend time together and have fun. Every family has its own unique routines and they help family members know who should be doing what, when and how often.

For example:
daily schedules for work, mornings, bath time, bedtime and mealtimes
weekly routines for housework
holidays and family get-togethers.

Especially in my family, things just run smoother with a few routines in place.  My children need routine for them to feel safe, secure and looked after.  Setting structures also helps develop a sense of responsibility and some basic skills like the ability to manage time, which is a key skill in life to help them become independent.  Routines can be good for children’s health aswell, for example, bedtime routines help children’s bodies ‘know’ when it’s time to sleep.  When life is busy, routines can help make you feel more organised and in control, which lowers stress.

There are no rules about how many or what kind of routines you should have. All families are different, and what works well for one family might not work for another.  

For toddlers and preschoolers, you could have routines for:

• getting ready in the morning
• playtime and structured activities 
• nursery
• mealtimes
• reading books or telling stories
• bath times 
• nap time and bedtimes 

Getting a baby into a routine with regular naps and feeding times, can make life easier for both of you and help to develop your bond together. So here are some great ideas for creating a routine that works for you and your baby.

• Teach your baby the difference between night and day
• Introduce a bedtime routine and be consistent
• Learn to read baby’s cues so you can anticipate their needs
• Expect changes during growth spurts and milestones

I wanted to also take this time to run through my children’s daily routines as a reminder to myself for future.  

Monday’s – Tobias at nursery and baking day 
Tuesdays – crafty day 
Wednesdays – Tobias and Hamish at nursery 
Thursdays – grandma day!
Fridays – Tobias and Hamish at nursery 
Saturdays – daddy day with an activity 
Sunday’s – daddy day at home 

Tobias daily routine (3 years 4 months)
7am wake up and get dressed
8.30am breakfast
9.30am planned activity
11am snack
11.15am freeplay
12.30pm lunch
1pm planned activity 
3.30pm snack
3.45pm freeplay
5.30pm teatime 
6.30pm bath
7pm bedtime 

Hamish daily routine (1 year 9 months) 
7am wake up and get dressed
8.30am breakfast
9.30am planned activity
11am snack
11.15am freeplay
12.30pm lunch
1pm naptime 
3.30pm snack
3.45pm freeplay
5.30pm teatime 
6.30pm bath
7pm bedtime 

Seth daily routine (2 months old)
7am wake up, feed and get dressed
8.30am sleep
9.30am wake up and feed
10am play 
11am sleep
11.45am wake up and feed
12.15pm play
1.30pm sleep
3pm wake up and feed
3.45pm play
5pm sleep 
5.30pm wake up and feed
6pm play 
6.30pm bath
7pm feed
8pm bedtime
Usually wakes twice through the night approx. 3am and 5am 

It’s definitely important to have structure to your day with children of all ages but it’s just as important to teach them that sometimes things changes and that’s ok.  I hope you’ve enjoyed this weeks blog post.

Much love
Rebecca