Our Shelter-In-Place Routine
So here we are, finding ourselves with our daily life stripped away from us. Some of us our suffering greatly whether it is physically or financially. Many of us are having a hard time just coping with a different way of living.
In this post my goal is to simply share with you what my family is doing during this time because I personally find it helpful to get ideas from other people. This is certainly not a perfect schedule nor do I treat it as set it stone. I also know this won’t work for everyone’s situation. I also have days where unexpected things happen and my day looks almost nothing like this schedule, but that’s okay. I do my best to adhere to it and try to be disciplined about it and not deviate it from it unless there is a serious reason. I am also human, though, and I can let distractions seep in (phones, anyone? Yeah you’re not alone. )
My Family’s Situation
First I want to describe my family’s current situation. I am a stay-at-home mom and we live in a rural part of California. I have a 4 1/2 year old and a 3 1/2 year old. I am expecting our third baby in May. We are used to having a lot of time at home because of our normal life circumstances, but since my husband who is a Junior High Special Education teacher is now home, we are all adjusting to being together more. Of course it is a blessing to be together more, but it’s also okay to admit it’s hard and can come with feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, and irritability. Gratitude is of UTMOST importance but so is letting yourself feel your feelings.
Thoughts About This New Way Of Living
Before I talk about our new routine, let me share some thoughts. As time goes in, the routine will probably be adjusted. We are not strict about times, that’s why I am calling it a routine and not a schedule. I view tasks and activities more in blocks of time, especially when it comes to what I have to do as far as all homemaking activities are concerned. When a block is over I try to move on to the next block and accept that I will not get everything done. And I will tell you right now, I never get EVERYTHING done. The routine is simply a tool that helps me stay on track for what I deemed as important. (Also why it’s super important to prioritize!)
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that productivity with children looks a lot different than productivity by yourself. You have to WAY overestimate how long each task will take. Also minimizing distractions like unnecessary phone calls and social media is key – you have to designate a time for doing these things and try to stick to it.
I also believe it’s important to understand that since you are probably home with your kids all the time now, that they will probably have at least a little more screen time than usual and give yourself grace about this. If you weren’t already homeschooling, not you are adjusting to working from home, being a janitor, lunch lady, teacher, P.E. teacher, etc. Just because you are having a hard time and it’s new doesn’t mean you aren’t or won’t be good at it. Did you start out knowing how to do your career or did it take time to learn and adjust? It will be the same case here. And give your kids grace. They are experiencing the same feelings as you are.
Our Current Routine
Morning Block
- 6:50 am – I wake up, pray, get dressed, start the laundry. If kids wake up early, my husband handles them so I can have this dedicated time.
- 8 am – Kids are up, they get dressed and make their beds and come for breakfast and we say grace. Then it’s time to clean up the kitchen, unload the dishwasher, etc. Next I will work on other chores in between direct instruction of the kids (folding laundry, tidying up, planning my meals on my fitness pal, thinking about dinner, throwing dinner in the crockpot, water plants, etc.) I am learning to accept that I won’t get long durations of time to complete tasks because my kids are at an age when they need a new activity somewhat frequently. Also, sometimes my husband does some og these activities if I need a break and he’s not too busy with work. Here’s what my kids are doing:
- Calendar time (with mommy)
- “Go Noodle”time (independently)
- Math time (with mommy ) – Sometimes I do a scavenger hunt where they have to count what they find, other times we use IXL together (a great app that has all kinds of grade level appropriate exercises.)
- Snack time – (mommy prepares but can usually get some productive time in while they eat)
- Outside time (with mommy) – sometimes we play ball, play with the dog, walk to the mailbox, ride bikes, etc.
- Calm down time (independent) – each child picks a quiet time spot. They can bring a few toys and books to look at. They are told that they have to stay in their spot and play quietly or they will have a consequence.
- English time (with mommy) – sometimes we do a scavenger hunt that relates to the “letter of the day” and we work on IXL.
Lunch Block
- 12 pm – I make lunch for my husband and myself, we say grace, and then he gives me a break of 30 min. – 1 hour. I use this time to write, read, do administrative things like pay bills, etc. Things that require more focus. I also will make phone calls or just lay down and have quiet time. For the rest of this block, I’m tidying, doing dishes, cleaning, doing laundry, baking, etc. Sometimes I have my kids help with chores but usually their main chores right now are grooming themselves, making their bed, and cleaning up after themselves when they eat and when they play. My kids activities during this block:
- Lunch time (with daddy) – Daddy makes their lunch and they put their dishes in the sink when finished.
- Outside time (with daddy) – Outside time could be more independent if you live somewhere that doesn’t have rattlesnakes, but for us we have to be outside making sure our kids don’t venture into the tall grass.
- Calm down time (independently)
- Art time/ music time/ baking time (with mommy) – we recently made playdough and edible finger paint.
Afternoon Block
- 3 pm – We switch gears again. This is the time of day when I do more detailed cleaning, work on a project intermittently, clean out the car, do more laundry, plan, meal plan, schedule phone calls, make dinner etc. Right now my husband does the grocery shopping, and we go once a week. My kids work on these things during this frame of time:
- Free play time (independently) – the kids get to go play with their toys
- Chores (independent) – the kids are given a time limit to clean up their toys. If they listen, they get a reward, if not, they get a consequence.
- Screen time (independent) – I rest a bit then start making dinner.
Dinner Block
- 6 pm – We say grace, say prayers as a family for our intentions for our circle of influence as well as the whole world. We talk about our day. I usually go clean the kitchen while my husband takes the kids outside, then they have a bath, get ready for bed, brush their teeth and spend time with our pets Babushka (dog) and Nacho (lizard). We read a story and try to get them in bed by 8:30 pm. Often this isn’t until 9 pm, but we do our best!
Nighttime Block
- 9 pm – The kids and dog are in bed. The kitchen hopefully is clean. We retire to our bedroom and just chill out. I might journal or read. Sometimes we watch a show together. Sometimes my husband does some extra work. We talk and share about how we are doing and feeling and try to put our phones away. I try to get ready for sleep around 10:30 pm.
Additional Tips
Before I end this post, I want to share some additional tips that I have discovered over the years because of books I’ve read or simply wisdom gained from having children underfoot all day long.
- If it’s really hard to get your kids to bed , it could be a discipline issue but it could also be that you need to wake them up at the same time each day just like when they go to school. That way they will be tired by bedtime.
- If you feel overwhelmed that’s because what you are doing is overwhelming and overstimulating. But remember , you got this and you are enough.
- Ask for what you need. If your spouse is also home, try to figure out a way for you both to get some solitude. It’s a need. It’s not selfish. It’s a need the way eating and drinking are needs. We gotta all stay sane during this shelter-in-place time! We may just come out stronger than ever.
- Your kids are going to need disciple to listen to you. You are setting yourself up for frustration if you expect them to just do as you say especially in this new circumstance. Rather, expect them to disobey that way you will be pleasantly surprised when they do obey. Try to balance out discipline with praise. (Easier said than done!)
- You may or may not have a lot of direction from your child’s teacher during this time. Try to give them some grace. Everyone is trying to figure this out as we go and teachers are humans too. You might have to come up with your own criteria for what educational success looks like during these times and that’s okay. You are your child’s parent and you are absolutely empowered to do that.
So how’s it going? What’s working for you and your family? Are you still going to work? Are both you and your spouse at home? I’d love to hear your thoughts, let me know in the comments.
annemarieglenn 