Today, I'm linking up with Kelly on Show Us Your Life. "What's You're Best Parenting Advice?" As a new mama. I am sharing what I have learned about scheduling.
Before I decided to become a stay at home mom or a SAHM, I was an elementary school teacher. Teaching was my passion, I loved everything about it! My students, my classroom and most of all; the ability to help a child learn and grow right before my eyes.
Not only did I love the actual job of being an educator, I also loved studying education and child development during college. I can remember being so eager to go to class and learn new and interesting things, all of which would help me become a better teacher.
I received my Masters degree in Education with an emphasis in Child Developmental Psychology.
My husband Rich and I have made the decision to homeschool our children. Homeschooling is something I have grown to be in favor of. Throughout the years, I have taught in both a public and private school setting. There are positives and negatives to each way of schooling. I am most interested in homeschooling because aside from the core subjects; (reading, writing, math, science and history) I am free to teach my children the Bible and subjects such as: art, music, etiquette/manners and many other life skills.
Since becoming a mother, I have decided I don't want to waste anytime. The learning process awakens in a child from birth. It is never too early to help a child learn and grow! One thing I cannot stand is when people refer to infants as being " little things; that only eat, poop and sleep". When in fact there is so much going on developmentally in a new infant.
I received my Masters degree in Education with an emphasis in Child Developmental Psychology.
My husband Rich and I have made the decision to homeschool our children. Homeschooling is something I have grown to be in favor of. Throughout the years, I have taught in both a public and private school setting. There are positives and negatives to each way of schooling. I am most interested in homeschooling because aside from the core subjects; (reading, writing, math, science and history) I am free to teach my children the Bible and subjects such as: art, music, etiquette/manners and many other life skills.
Since becoming a mother, I have decided I don't want to waste anytime. The learning process awakens in a child from birth. It is never too early to help a child learn and grow! One thing I cannot stand is when people refer to infants as being " little things; that only eat, poop and sleep". When in fact there is so much going on developmentally in a new infant.
This is why I have started my little Robert on a daily routine.
Robert is just now getting to be old enough where he is on a pretty consistent eating and sleeping schedule. I want to make his little life rich with new experiences, sounds, color and textures that give him every opportunity to learn. So, I have started adding music time, poetry/ literature, exercise and vocabulary time, to his daily schedule. You might be asking yourself, "How can a baby take part in all of this?" I am here to tell you, Robert loves all of these special times. It has become a part of our daily routine and it makes his day so much more interesting than just plopping him down in front of cartoons all day! Robert's daily schedule is as follows:
Our Daily Learning Schedule
6:00 a.m. - Wake and Nurse for around 30 min. or so; during this time I incorporate music by playing children's praise/or classical music while I nursing him.
6:45- 7:45 a.m - He usually falls back asleep after nursing until around 7:45 am
7:45 - 9:30 a.m. - Tummy time for 10-15 min. Playtime on his back with the Baby Gym. This is a great toy-filled mat where Robert exercises his dexterity skills: reaching, pulling, raising his head, cooing, eye movement and singing. Before nursing him, I swing or rock him.
9:30 a.m- Nurse again for around 30 min
9:30a.m- Bible Time I focus on one verse a week. I usually choose something from Psalms. I also read out of a children's Bible. Then we watch one Praise Baby DVD. This usually lulls him to sleep. (For those of you who aren't aware of Praise Baby dvd's, they are fabulous!!!!)Praise Baby dvd's incorporate worship music, scriptures and animations. Robbie just loves them!
10:00 a.m- Nap Time Robert is put down for his morning nap around 10:00 a.m and he usually naps for around 2 hours, but never more than that. I never let him nap for more than 2 hours during the day otherwise his night time sleep schedule suffers.
12:00 p.m - Lunch Time ( I nurse or give him a pumped bottle)
12:30 p.m- Baby Exercise Time
During this time I play music for Robert to dance and wiggle to. I stretch and move his arms and legs, stomp his feet and clap his hands. This helps him with rhythm.
1:00 p.m -Reading and Language-
This is a special time where I read a storybook to Robert. I have a great book called "The Little Big Book For Moms" . This is a wonderful collection of traditional nursery rhymes, tales, songs, poems, finger games, recipes and more! I was given this book as a "Congrats, you're pregnant!" gift from a dear friend!
1:30 p.m - 3:30 p.m. -Nap Time Second Nap of the day .
3:30 p.m- Feeding
Note: Between 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. I have noticed a window of fussiness sometimes. This is when your maternal instincts are exercised. I try a multitude of different skills. Regiment needs to be combined with nurturing and the needs of your individual child.
Usually around 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. - I make dinner, run errands with Robbie and/or Robert has swing time/ tummy time on his gym mat.
Note: Robbie sometimes sleeps while in his stroller or car seat and goes with me on errands.
5:30 p.m -Dinner (Bottle)
5:30-7:00 p.m. - Daddy Time
Robbie spends time with Daddy when he comes home from work. We usually go on a family walk around this time. We found a spot; a great walking trail along Pacific Coast Highway that is gorgeous. When Daddy comes home early, we see the magnificent sunsets! There are many adorable squirrels living in the bushes along this trail, and sometimes we throw peanuts for them and they walk right up to the stroller. Robert loves this time!
7:00- Bath Time and the start of bedtime routine
Robert's bedtime routine always starts with a bath. After bath I read the book "Goodnight Moon" (Try to stick with the same developmentally appropriate book for about 1 month at a time.) We then have prayer time, calming music and I nurse him for a few minutes. Then it's off to bed. Robert is in bed by 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. and sleeps through the night.
So, you see everything throughout the day becomes a learning activity & experience! If we are at the grocery store, I explain each item I am purchasing to Robert. I tell him what it is, I describe it's color, it's texture and so on. When we go for a walk, I describe the trees and butterflies. During a diaper change, I touch Robert's toes, hands eyes and nose and tell him the names of each. You must remember, to us, all of these things are boring and old. However, through the eyes of a baby, EVERYTHING is new to them!!!
Lastly, but crucially important: Pray, pray, and then pray for your baby, and his/her future.
God intervenes in the affairs of men by invitation ONLY! Revelations 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will have supper with him, and he with me."
Blessings,
Sarah
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5 comments:
What a cute blog you have! Saw you on Kelly's blog list and seems like you are off to a great start. I was homeschooled and look forward to teaching my kids in the future.
You are doing a great job! We put our daughter on the same kind of schedule when she was that age, and she is a great sleeper because of that. She is 4-years-old now. I have so many friends that tell me I am so lucky she goes to bed at 8:00pm because their kids will not do it, but I just don't agree with that.
We too are a Marine Corps family who homeschools, although we are on the home stretch of our time with the Corps, lol!!! It was almost 10 years ago that I was making the same decisions that you are making and although I haven't made them perfectly I feel they were the best decisions to 1 stay home and 2 homeschool. It has been so helpful for my children, I now have 3: 9, 7, & 4, to have the consistency of home in their lives as it has been the only thing that has remained the same in an ever changing military world!!!! Many blessing to you and your family, for only when you have lived it can you truly understand it!!! Semper Fi!!!!!
I loved reading about Robert's schedule! His Daddy had just about the same sleep, feeding, and playtimes when he was an infant. Just add two older brothers to play with. :)
When I had one I too did a lot like that. Now that I have 4 spanning 8 years it no longer is possible. We are on the go so the activities shift. Praise baby and baby Einstein (my kids fav) has now turned into childrens church songs in the car. Bible stories and verses arnt there for the baby but the other 3 have AWANAS and many church programs. They don't go away completely it just changes. And each stage has its own blessings but I sure miss the quite precious time I had too with my first son.
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