It’s a Rhythm, Not a Schedule

Hey Loves!

So many of you have either started school or preparing for school in a much different way than ever before. I can’t imagine all the questions that are in your head but the question I get asked the most is, “what is your schedule?” Then I have to disappoint a mama when my response is, “We don’t have one.” Here’s why. 

If you know me, you know I love a good schedule. Yes, down to the minute, planned fluidly, packed with incredible things until I fall asleep, also scheduled, to wake up and do it all over again. However, my kids don’t work like that and, per my research, many kids don’t work like that. 

Truth moment: After realizing that trying to make them work with my schedule and creating 52 different schedules didn’t work, I gave up on schedules all together. I’m sure literally threw my hands up. There’s no shocker that no schedule was just as bad as trying to make them fit in my schedule. 

What helped? What was the relief? Creating a rhythm, and no I’m talking about a dope beat. 

I’m talking about a regular flow of activities and transitions in a home that becomes habitual but is easily done at a different time if needed because it is much easier for one to fall back into a rhythm than get used to a different schedule. 

I discuss it all here in this youtube video and discussing our morning rhythm here. I need you to know this didn’t happen overnight. There were trials, lots of errors, and lots of trying again. 

Through that, I was constantly reminded that these rhythms had to flow with my home- the people in it, our values, and memory-making. Not making our home fit with the rhythm.

I also learned that our days are better when I submit to the needs of my kids. Before you exit this post hear me out: When I say, “submit to the needs of my kids”, I most certainly don’t mean neglect my needs, my husband’s, our marriage, or something urgent. I also don’t mean my kids are “in charge.” I mean that I remove myself-my wants, my desires, how I would respond, how I feel typical children should respond- from how I meet their needs and submitting myself to consoling, educating, and training them on the matter at hand. 

For example, in our rhythm, if it’s is time for outside play, I can see them seeking for input but it is monsoon rain pouring outside, I can’t make them do what I would do-cozy up with a throw, sit still, be quiet and just be. They literally can’t right now. Submitting to their needs means to stay with the rhythm so they feel safe, free play meeting input needs, and then finding a way to give them the input, so I get up and do movement activities, put on YouTube movement playlist and hit up Cosmic Kids Yoga. 

I also want to say this, your rhythm probably won’t look like ours and that’s ok! In fact, I implore it because I was your rhythm to be a beat of your home, not mines. 

Any other rhythm questions? 

Love you. Mean it.