In an attempt to regain some sense of control in my life as I navigate the sea of staying at home, I decided to create a daily schedule. I studied the schedules posted on the local mom's forum by other
SAHMs, and despite feeling utterly jealous at the fact that their children sleep until (gulp) EIGHT A.M., there seemed to be a calmness in the predictability of it all. And we need some calmness around here. I hoped that I could create some sanity in my mind by staring at a seemingly full calendar, even if its fullness
involved nothing more than "snack", "playtime" and "nap". The initial draft has been completed and my next step is to create a visual version for Paul so that he can see what is coming up in our week. Paul is a stickler about routine and will ask every night at bedtime what we are doing the next day. The irony of these conversations is that when I was working it was the same response: "Daycare" and the guilty feelings would rush up as I worried my son was missing spending time with me. Now when I say, "I don't know, hon, whatever we want" he has a look of terror on his face. Thankfully we are able to keep him in school two days a week and I found a morning program through the local community center for two of the other days, leaving only one day of free-flowing nothingness. John, on the other hand, is much more laid back about life. While I realize that he cannot yet ask me what we are doing in a given day, he doesn't seem to mind when the schedule is altered. Today for example he fell asleep in the car on the way home for lunch. And now he is sleeping way past his normal
nap time. Nothing like living with Mr. Rigid
Predictability and his sidekick, Mr. Go-with-the-flow.