Strict Schedule or Go with the flow?

When my spouse is working, my daughter has a fairly regular bedtime hour. If he is home, then she wants to stay up to be around her Daddy. She is just making up for time that she wasn't able to spend with him before, when his schedule was so hectic and he had to be away on his job. We're getting used to our new schedule and I'm sure that she will fall back into a routine. She is more about routines than me. She makes up the routine, I just follow! LOL! It's been that way forever. Other than bedtime I'm pretty relaxed on her schedule. I try to keep her active and busy all day, with frequent breaks so she can just chill out and relax and watch her shows. We do crafts and painting and dance for her and then some educational programs and learning time. She has lots of things she likes to do at home. She doesn't nap anymore. That's her choice. Meal times happen at least every two hours for her. She is always eating a small meal or snack. I try to work things around her. If there were a second child, then I might have to put both on the same schedule or else, I'd be constantly cooking and feeding everyone at all hours of the day! But I wouldn't mind. More mouths to feed. More children to love. I'm not opposed to that! LOL! Be well, Have a blessed day. Your friend, BeautyQueen

i agree with you totally.... i go with the flow..... esp when feeding, i give her milk whenever she wants milk, ..... like you, i try to keep bedtime the same evrynight, 8 pm..., the only thing that i'm strict about is the kind of food that she eat, i'm trying to teach her healty eating habit, only fish and vegetables... no meat yet.....

i don't have a child yet... but as long as i remember, my parents used to be really strict with me when it comes with time when i am still a child... and i think it has a very good effect on me now as i grow up... i grow up to be a discipline person and can manage my time really good... so i really have to thank my parents for that... take care and have a nice day...

I keep a flexible schedule. When my son was a baby, I kept track of when he ate, slept and needed a diaper change. I soon discovered that he was eating about every 3 hours, napping every 4 hours, and so on. So I developed a schedule that fit his natural tendencies. But as much as I liked having the predictability of a schedule, I was always willing to be flexible. Sometimes he got hungry earlier than usual- like when he was having a growth spurt, so I fed him when he was hungry. Sometimes he didn't want to nap at his usual time if we had company, so I let him stay up a while longer. Schedules are good to let babies know what to expect, but flexibility is just as important. Now that he's a little older- 20 months- I am even more flexible. If we are out and I don't have time to get dinner on the table within a reasonable time, I'll give him a snack to hold him over. If we have a particularly busy day, I'll let him nap later and stay up a bit later at bedtime, if necessary.

Her mother to her child was really too good,this child should be happiest,in this world.Read this article i to have an have an own idea.Will wait for me to have the child later to study her method.

Go with the flow! Love, laugh, live. There is plenty of time for adhering to schedules in your child's future. My youngest is 17 now, and even though I hated schedules and we went with the flow, I have never had to wake her up for school or rush her out the door to Church, work, or anywhere. Give them half a chance and they will actually look forward to going places instead of viewing everything as some formidable time schedule. That takes all the fun out of life.

I have always had certain times for meals, treats, homework, and bedtimes. Everything else jsut fits in there. I am a spontaneous person, so allowing for spontenaity is important for us. I don't like making appoitments unless I have to. I do like just going and doing when I feel like it. I do respect others and always call before going over to make sure it's okay. Making sure to ask if they need me to bring anything when I go. I usually go with the flow.

I have gone with the flow since the day my oldest was born. I never believed in a "schedule" for a baby. My oldest slept 8-9 hours at night at just a week old! I never once woke her to feed her. I dont believe in that. Babies let you know when they are hungry. Nap time was always when ever she was tired but I always tired my hardest to make sure the bed time tried to stay the same. Doesnt always happen but I try. My kids get extreamly cranky after 9PM so bed has to happen around that time. SO, I go with the flow and I always will. Good discussion.