Our daily flow

Whether due to my personality or a simple lack of self discipline, strict schedules don't seem to work around here. I'm always a bit jealous of the moms who seem to have everything wonderfully planned, starting at 5 am sharp. Is being super organized truly the best way, something that everyone should strive to achieve? Or does it just sound better and in reality only work for people who are actually wired that way? Maybe when I'm older and wiser I will have the answer to that one:) 

Currently at our home, every day looks a little different and I modify things greatly based on my energy level, the fact that we were out late the night before, the fact that everyone is grumpier and needier for no apparent reason, etc. Also, children younger than one seem to have constantly evolving sleeping and eating patterns, so trying to write that down takes more time than it's worth (at least for me:). 

However, that being said, we do have a flow or rhythm to our day and I have found that having it posted on the fridge helps ground me when I'm wandering around, wondering which pressing need should be attended to first. It also helps remind me to fit in a couple events, like circle time and art time, that I would, in theory, consider highly important and yet seem difficult to make actually happen on a daily basis. Having each day of the week assigned to a particular household task has also helped me greatly. I'll try to write about that sometime soon. 

Without further ado, here is our current daily flow: 

Breakfast by 9: clear table, take vitamins and water, get dressed, make beds, wash faces

(Usually I'm up by 7 but I'd rather leave this wide open on the off chance that everyone sleeps in)

Morning housework time: 9:30-10:30 : housework focus of day; children help and free play

Circle time: 10:30-10:50: scripture memory, songs, catechism, abc's, etc. 

Art or outdoors play: 10:50-11:30

Make lunch, eat, clean kitchen: 11:30-12:30

Nap time: 12:30-3 : living room toy pickup, read stories, nap or quiet time in room

Wake up/snack time: 3-4 wake up, have snack, free play

Open time: 4:00-5:30 : play outside, make dinner, dad home

Dinner: 5:30-6

Fun with dad: 6-7:30: walk, play outside, work on project, clean kitchen

Bedtime: 7:30-8:30: baths, brush teeth, read stories, bedtime 

We have tons of open time in this plan because that is how our life is. One day we may be at the grocery store all morning and then circle and art time happens in the afternoon (or not at all:). If someone isn't feeling well or is just needy, then we spend lots of time sitting on the floor reading together and/or watching netflix. If we are having company and everyone is playing happily I may spend more time cleaning than the allotted one hour in the morning. I don't plan any screen time into our day because that seems to happen enough without having any time reserved for it. I try to save it for whenever I really need it. That means that days may go by without watching anything or one day we may watch several shows. I believe strongly in the importance of free play and outdoors play, so we have lots of time for that. 

I love reading what other moms do so thought others may enjoy seeing what we do. And I'll enjoy reading this in a couple years when I've totally forgotten the details of these years:)