Create a routine - Bed time, meal time, reading time.

This goes back to creating your schedule for your child, regardless of how chaotic your life is and I know your life is chaotic; you are a parent. We must create a level of consistency in our child’s life regardless of the chaos. You maybe thinking what would you know about chaos? It seems as though your family has it together.

One of the many challenges we faced as a couple was being in a long-distance relationship for many years. My wife lived in Georgia while I lived in Florida. Our careers had us separated. We would travel back and forth on a weekly basis to visit each other. In the first year of our son’s life, before I made a career change, he was on over forty flights.

He was sleeping in different homes, in different states. He was visiting with different people. Although it was very chaotic, from the outside looking in, his routine never changed. He had a schedule. He woke up every day at the same time. He got fed to the minute at the same time. He played, napped and got changed at the same time. That only happened because a routine was created. Why? Because even his bowel movements become regular. 

He took his second nap at the time every day. He was fed at the same times. He went to bed every night at the same time. Did we book flights around his schedule? Yes. Did we make sure bottles were prepared ahead of time to make sure he got fed at those times? Yes. Although our lives, our schedules, our travel, and where we stayed were very inconsistent, he knew his necessities were taken care of based on his routine.

He knew he would be changed. He knew he would be fed consistently. He knew he would be in a place of comfort so that he could nap. He knew we would play with him. He knew he would have this consistency every day because that is how we showed up as parents. That takes time, energy, effort, and planning; but it’s so worth it.

Example of his Schedule: Year 1

6:00 – Wake up – Immediate change
6:10 – Make bottle (together) and feeding
6:30 – 9:00 – Play, sing, entertain
9:00 – Change/Nap time
10:00 –Wake up Bottle
1:00 – Change/ Nap time
2:00 – Bottle, play, sing, learn, entertain.
6:00 – Bottle/Night Routine