Benefits of Making A Schedule For You and Your Kids

I have always been told to make a schedule and stick to it. Maintain a consistent structure and things will work out better. I tried this method for myself here and there, but I’ve always been a do it as you get to it type of person. This worked for me, but once I became a parent and tried that same method, I was in for a rude awakening!

I became a stay at home mom two years ago. I had this fabulous dream of how I was going to take care of the kids, keep the house clean, dinner on the table, start my business and everything else in between. This was not really planed out because I would just do it as i got to it.

The first few weeks were successful because it was all new to me and I had the excitement and energy to make everything work. But after the excitement wore off and the real stay at home mom duties kicked in, I was all over the place. Laundry was piling up, kids were barely taking naps anymore and I forgot to thaw out the chicken for dinner. I have to pick up my other two kids from the bus in an hour and I only have one line written for my business letter that is to be emailed today by 4:00pm.

The stress level is building because everything is out of control. I called my mom out of frustration and she gently tells me, “You are going crazy because you do not have a schedule. You have not planned anything out for the day. Start scheduling your days. You need it for you and for your children.” I took her advice and began to plan out my days.

5 Benefits Of Making A Schedule

1. You to know what to expect.

I found that children operate best when they know what’s coming next. Well, I found the same thing applies to myself. Having my dinner planned out the night before helps, so if there are things to be prepped, I am able to do that and it makes the cooking process much easier.

2. Helps Maintain Consistency

Consistency is so important in children. If there is a schedule set in place, the child’s behavior is better and they adjust well to the next thing. Consistency is also important for parents because it will allow structure to be developed in your life and more things can get accomplished.

3. Regulates Your Body

The fact that I no longer have to fight with the kids about nap time and bed time have helped tremendously. Due to maintaining a sleep schedule, their little bodies have adjusted and when it’s time for bed, they are already tired. Once they are sleep, I have a quiet house and time to focus on the work that I need to do. This also allows quality time for my husband and I.

4. Teaches Responsibility

Cleaning the house can be a task with four children. So to reduce the stress on myself, I get them to help me. I assign each of them a job and there are specific days for each task. This gives the kids structure and teaches them how to clean. It also teaches them responsibility because they know what is expected of them and it’s their job to complete it. Can’t beat having responsible kids and a clean house.

5. Allows You To Prioritize And Be Productive.

Trying to run the household, maintain the kids and everything else in between, can make it hard to run my business. But prioritizing helps me to be productive. When the kids are doing activities, eating and sleeping, I am able to get the important things completed at that time.

Try It Out For Yourself

So if you feel you are being unproductive and things are not flowing smoothly, get yourself a planner and schedule out your days. Create your routine, fill in your tasks for certain times and I promise you, your days will become more productive. You will notice a change for the better in yourself and your children.

I do advise that you embrace flexibility. Even with a planner, the unexpected will happen from time to time. Don’t get discouraged, it happens to all of us. Just be disciplined and get back on schedule the best way you possibly can. I hope this helps you. Happy scheduling!!