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Thursday, June 19, 2008

Silly Schedules

I officially went back to work this week. Sylas K is being watched each day by a teacher that I had in middle school. She retired and is now just watching three little ones including Sylas. So he has some other little buddies but he also still get plenty of one on one attention. So I'm pleased with that.

I am not however pleased with trying to balance it all. Lots of people ask me how I do the whole working full time and being a single mom. The truth is that the whole working mom thing is hard. The whole working single mom thing is harder. But it's getting easier each day. I've figured out that sticking to a schedule and having routines is the key to success and calmness. And I've found that the calmer it is the happier I am and the happier Sylas is. So silly strict schedules is what we have. This is our routine each day...

Morning Routine

I get up at 5:30
Start a load of laundry
Shower
Get dressed
Hair and Makeup
Make Bed
Wake up Sylas and feed him
Get him dressed
Let him play and listen to music while I empty the dishwasher and switch out the laundry.
Then I play with him for about 30 minutes and we roll out
He is at daycare at 7:30 and I'm at work at 7:45

After Work Routine
Pick Sylas up at 5
Feed him
Switch out laundry
Dinner for me
Go on a walk or play time with Sylas
4 B's for Sylas- Bath, Book, Bottle, Bed. He is in bed between 7:30-8:00

After Sylas is in bed routine
Check email
30 minutes of cleaning something... anything... everything...
Put away laundry from the day
Work out if we didn't go on a walk
Pick up toys
Blog

Before Bed Routine

Start dishwasher
Lay out our clothes for tomorrow
Reload the diaper bag
Do a quick run thru of the house and put things back in their place
CRASH!

Honestly I don't get much time with Sylas in the evenings. He usually takes a 30 minute nap right after we get home so it's really only about 2 hours of awake time together. But I will only be working until 1:00 on Fridays so I'm hoping that the nice long weekends will give us some good quality time.

Tonight I tried out the Exersaucer toy and he loved it! Well he was tired so he wouldn't smile but he didn't cry so I think that means it's all good. Usually he will cry the whole time I'm making my dinner which makes me feel horrible. But I put him in the exersaucer in the kitchen and he could see me the whole time and he was just calm as could be. So maybe I will be able to cook now without feeling like a mean mommy....



3 comments:

veggiemom said...

It takes a little bit to get the system worked out but you sound like you're doing great. With time it gets easier and as they get older, you get to spend more time with them in the evening. I can't believe how big Sylas has gotten!
Kerri and Ruby

jodilee0123 said...

Kudos to you. . . I stay at home and work only part-time and still can't seem to get everything done that I think should. So, my house is a bit messy and my bed is never made! :0) You are amazing!

Stacie said...

Oh that sweet baby face! And those curls! No wonder you are completely in love! :) And, he is getting so big!
It stinks going back to work doesn't it? But, it's good you have a routine - that makes it so much easier (not that I always follow mine or anything :) Not to mention having someone you know watching him!