Do you follow a schedule or predictable routine with your children?

Question

Ie. meal times, nap times, bed times are consistent. You go outside around the same time every day. You run errands around the same time every day. Etc. 
I met this woman on a play date and we have started talking and meeting up with our kids. I noticed she never wants to do anything in the mornings, it’s always 2pm or later. Both our kids are 3 and 1 year old. Finally I just asked her why can’t we meet at like 10am at the park? And she was like “oh we’re usually still asleep until noon.” And I was like “ummm what” lol. Because my kids wake up at 7am! Then she went on to explain that she doesn’t believe in schedules or routines and that it makes you become a “slave to modern capitalist society”. She said her and her kids go to bed around 3am or later some times, they eat randomly whenever they’re hungry so like they’ll have spaghetti at midnight. Keep in mind these kids are only 3 and 1! I didn’t know what to say so I was just like ummm alright then lol. What do you think about this? 🤣

Answer

Each to their own but her kids r going to have a heck of a shock when they start school, etc

Answer

There are heaps of scholarly articles, evidence, medical journals, so on and so on, that prove children thrive best on a schedule.

Answer

I couldn’t function like that, so I’m surely not putting my children on a schedule like that🤪

Answer

Children (and adults) thrive on routine. We have consistent routines but those can be somewhat flexible. Having a routine doesn’t make you a “slave” to anything

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My daughter is only 7 months but she naturally has a routine that I encourage. 
I don’t want to be overly strict. Staying up late here and there is fine. Not doing the exact same thing every day is fine (would honestly drive me mad). But loosely following eating and nap routine is ideal.
Children NEED routine! Studies have proven this. They eat, sleep, and behave better with a predictable routine.
My 3 year old nephew has been proof enough of this to me! It’s night and day with him when his routine isn’t followed.

Answer

We do more like time blocks with meals and nap but we don't have like scheduled stuff in between. 
-Breakfast always 1 hr after she wakes up. 
-Lunch always 4 hrs later. 
-Nap  (attempt. She doesn't always sleep but she lays quietly in bed) always 45 minutes after she's done with lunch 
-Dinner always 4 hrs after lunch 
-BUT BEDTIME we always start at the same time on the clock regardless of what the day was like

Answer

Yeah my kids are pretty structured at this point.  I get up at 6 with my oldest to get him off to school, wake up my middle at 8 for pre-k which is when I wake my toddler up too if he’s not already awake.  We drop my middle off at pre-k, run errands if need be, if not we come home and play his more learning focused games when he has no distractions from his brothers, he eats lunch, naps, and we go get his brother from pre-k.  The afternoon is a little less structured with all 3 boys home.  They still have a routine of coming in, having a snack, doing homework, then doing whatever they want to wind down from the day whether it be playing outside/inside, watching a show, then we do dinner, baths, and bedtime.
These kids have damn near zero free time during sports seasons honestly, but that’s their choice to play, they love it.☺️ I can’t imagine just winging it every day, but hey, fight the man!😂😂😂😂😂

Answer

Uhm no. 
My kids are on a loose schedule, that btw im craving to make more structured! I feel like my schedule is lacking in some ways. 
Idk how people don't do schedules. Without my loose schedule I'd be going crazy!!!

Answer

I don’t have a schedule for my son. He’s 6 months old, he doesn’t have a bed time, he’s asleep when he sleeps, he’s awake when he’s awake. 
There’s no reason that people have to conform to the idea that one should be awake with the sun lol. If I’m hungry at midnight, I’ll eat at midnight too! 😂 If I could sleep until noon, I absolutely would.
My son happens to wake up around 7-9am and happens to go to sleep for the night between 7-10pm. I work an 8-5 job so I have to conform to a more strict schedule, but there’s no reason my baby has to. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Routines are great, but not having routines doesn’t make someone a bad parent.

Answer

I think her reasoning is ridiculous, but I don't see anything wrong with sleeping when tired and eating when hungry if she doesn't have anything that demands she keep a schedule. 🤷‍♀️ 
I was fairly "no routine" with my first two kids when they were little. They had no issue with a schedule when starting school. But because I had older kids in school (which requires a schedule) when my 3rd and 4th were little, they had more of a sleep/eat routine though still not completely clock-bound. I don't really see one way as better than the other - it's just a matter of what's convenient and works best for a family.

Do you follow a schedule or predictable routine with your children?

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