Generally Thatcher wakes up anywhere from 6:30 to 7:30. He's been sleeping pretty well through the night now and usually gives us a six to eight hour stretch, so I don't get too horribly grumpy at the thought of being up so early (Translation: I fall asleep in the floor of the baby-proofed playroom while he entertains himself). Usually he plays with Da in the morning while I make breakfast and get things ready to get Jeff out the door. After Daddy is gone we almost ALWAYS do some independent play before naptime so I have a chance to get ready and have some mama time. And apart from cleaning up after meals or things that we do right away to keep the house tidy, I usually only clean while Thatcher is napping, so when he's awake we can do things together.
That's always the same. I've found out the hard way, though that Thatcher I and both thrive off of routine. I'm a very organized person by nature, so I'm a little embarrassed it took me this long to incorporate it into our weekly routine. But finally we have, and it works!
Monday: On Monday I wash and hang dry (yes, we use a clothesline! Gasp! How old-fashioned!) our laundry from the week. In the morning while Thatcher is playing I plan out our week and round up any errands and things that need to be done. Monday is also one of Jeff's days off, which we take pretty seriously. We try to spend the whole day being together and doing fun things. Monday is also when we set our goal of what we want Thatcher to learn that week (ie: body part, new sign language, etc).
Monday: On Monday I wash and hang dry (yes, we use a clothesline! Gasp! How old-fashioned!) our laundry from the week. In the morning while Thatcher is playing I plan out our week and round up any errands and things that need to be done. Monday is also one of Jeff's days off, which we take pretty seriously. We try to spend the whole day being together and doing fun things. Monday is also when we set our goal of what we want Thatcher to learn that week (ie: body part, new sign language, etc).
Tuesday: Tuesday is spent folding laundry and putting it away along with our usual chores. We stay home almost all day and get the things around the house done. We also go to our local library for story and discovery time each Tuesday, which is just down the street and gives Thatcher a chance to interact with other littles and see new things. Tuesday is also our arts and crafts day, so we aim for all of our activities to have some sort of artsy theme. Usually we do one or two activities which last anywhere from ten minutes to an hour depending on little Thatch's mood. We do painting, sidewalk chalk, crafts, coloring, and anything else we can think of. Thatcher wasn't a huge fan of getting down and dirty with art projects in the beginning but he's really warmed up to it. Usually I hang up whatever he did that day and when it's dry I show him and I swear that baby feels pride. His smile is just heart-melting. We generally end each day with Thatcher helping make dinner.
Wednesday: This is our errand day. We're usually out running errands in between naps, so Thatcher gets to get out and wave at everyone and be worn a lot. This is supposedly the day I have set aside to work on blog posts, but my three month absence shows that our routine doesn't always get followed to a T. (Does anything get done totally with kids, though?).
Thursday: On Thursday I sweep and mop the tile areas of the house and vacuum the whole house. I end up vacuuming here and there every day (I can't imagine why...) so at least once a week I do a very thorough job. Thursday's theme is sensory play. Thatcher really loves this one. We have a whole notebook of activities that engage his senses and get him trying new things. He loves playing in oatmeal, shaving creme, with felt, anything that's new and exciting he adores. It's so fun watching him react to new things!
Friday: On Friday during naptime I try to do one big organizing or craft project. Usually it ends up being cleaning out the fridge, working on crafts for the house or organizing the basement. It feels really great to get a big to-do out of the way! Friday is also usually the day we play with our friend Tracy and her kids, so it's a nice break to be with another adult. When we get home in the afternoon we focus on our Montessori activities. We do blocks, thread things (like pipe-cleaner through a colander), putting things into containers, sorting objects, and so on. We love these activities because they focus on letting thatcher guide his own learning environment with pre-determined stations. He goes from thing to thing and works on motor skills, critical thinking and working together to accomplish things. It's fun to see him learning and see things clicking in his brain.
Saturday: Generally the week is so packed that Saturday is pretty free--apart from naps. We usually do things together like go to the farmer's market, the children's museum, splash pad or lunch dates. It's time to just have fun and play together.
Looking at it all written out it looks intimidating to me now, but it's amazing the change I could see when we started getting into a good routine. We're both happier and more productive when we know what to expect each day, keep up on chores and make time to be together instead of occupying him while i catch up on housework (which happens, of course but I try to keep it minimal). I feel like being a stay at home mom is such a blessing and a responsibility that I need to really take advantage of!
That being said we do have different types of play. Usually our directed play (arts, sensory and montessori) are themed and have goals we'd like to accomplish. Usually we try to use toys and objects that aren't his over-flowing trucks, trians, balls, etc. We also have independent play, which Thatcher does every morning before his nap.This is when he grabs whatever toys he wants and does whatever he wants. I feel like it's so important to have a balance between independent play that fosters a lot of imagination and directed play that works on milestones and skills he needs to learn.
That being said we do have different types of play. Usually our directed play (arts, sensory and montessori) are themed and have goals we'd like to accomplish. Usually we try to use toys and objects that aren't his over-flowing trucks, trians, balls, etc. We also have independent play, which Thatcher does every morning before his nap.This is when he grabs whatever toys he wants and does whatever he wants. I feel like it's so important to have a balance between independent play that fosters a lot of imagination and directed play that works on milestones and skills he needs to learn.
We also read about five books a day because he's a boy obsessed, not that this mama is complaining!
So that's generally how our week goes. Things come up of course and get switched around but we try to accomplish all of those things so that we're both busy and engaged with each other rather than phones, computers and TV all the time. We do enjoy a show every day (usually to make him last before a nap or to entertain him while mama cooks or folds laundry) and I refuse to let myself feel guilty about that. I think it's hard to say what a child needs or doesn't need in a day because every child is so different.
For those of you who have messaged me, please let me know if you have any other questions!
<3
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