GETTING BACK TO YOUR ROUTINE AFTER CHRISTMAS

I fought against a routine when I first had James. I did this for many reasons. My life pre James from when I was 15 literally changed daily. I would call the agency every afternoon and they would give me my schedule for the next day. I travelled every week and as exciting as it was when I had James 17 years after I began my career I found it incredibly difficult to settle into a routine with a baby.

However I soon understood and realized the importance of a good routine for babies and children. I’ve always had bold child syndrome. If you told me to go left I’d go right. It’s just how I am.

During the holidays and especially at Christmas it can feel liberating to let your hair down and relax with the kids. What I have found though is I’m now struggling with any routine. Kids thrive with a good routine. Structure is necessary for day-to-day life and I have noticed a big change in behavior when I don’t have one. Like his mother, James has been in bed late, eaten way to many sweets and since Monday has been quite tired and whiney. I can’t wait to get back to having some semblance of structure in my house so as James is back to preschool Monday I’ve been tightening the ship a little every day.

What I have realized over the past four years is that even though I still have many different jobs and I am currently back in college structure has enabled me to be much more successful. James also thrives on good structure. Why? Because he knows what to expect every day! Even simple things like a good hygiene routine morning and night and cleaning his toys in the evening all help to establish responsibility. We’ve even strayed from story time every night because we’ve been travelling, visiting and staying with friends and family.

So like I said my focus and challenge for this weekend has been to ease James back into his routine. He has been in bed 15 minutes earlier every night with story time so hopefully by Monday preschool won’t be such a shock.

For 2015 I’m not writing out a list of things I’m giving up or denying myself as I have learnt over time that when you do this you feel like you are missing out. I now know for sure that James is happier and healthier eating great food and sleeping well and even though he begs for treats like every other child we are most definitely going back to just having a treat on a Friday.

I have also over indulged and I feel sluggish, tired and very down. I love how being healthy makes me feel and I can’t wait to be back in tiptop shape very soon. I enjoyed my Christmas dinner but did I have to eat like that for five days?

As I said I’m like a bold child. I know what works and I know what doesn’t so why do I have to test something I have proven to myself time and time again. I expect there are a lot of us feeling like this right now but at least this time I feel like I’m climbing a hill and not a mountain. I’m so sick of climbing mountains so really my only resolution is to continue enjoying every second of this amazing journey of being a parent and to work hard, eat well and love myself because one thing is for sure our children learn from us and through our behaviours. I want James to see a healthy happy mum. I’ll never be perfect but I do want to be the best me that I possibly can and that is most definitely something we can all strive for in 2015. As I always say never compare yourself to others just be a better version of yourself each day.

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