Super Nanny Is My Friend

As mentioned before, Michael's niece is staying with us for the summer. Maybe I was expecting dancing around the living room all day, doing each other's hair, but who was I kidding? Seeing as how we aren't having dance parties all day, some rules and structure had to be implemented. So what did we do one fun filled Friday evening? Well, make a house rules and chore chart, of course.

Having a nine year old in the house, for over a month already, makes me feel like I'm being tested for what is to come down the road. Although I don't have a girl, the awesome tween drama is giving me enough insight to make me want to hide in the closet. Never fear! Super Nanny is here. If you have been hiding in the closet yourself, and don't know who Super Nanny is, please come out and google her. We started putting Davis in time out and starting discipline with him at an early age. Is it working? Well, we shall see. So why not use her rules and structure for the nine year old.

Coming up with the house rules was actually a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I thought I was going to be spitting out about 20 rules off the top of my head, but when it came down to it, I kept stalling. Breyonna was shockingly excited to make a house rules board, and I feel it was because we included her in it. We came up with the rules, and she got to write them on a posterboard, then decorate it. If the house rules are broken and/or not done, she does not get freedoms. "Freedoms" means no fun stuff such as playing next door with her friend, allowance, swimming, etc.

We also have a chore chart that we have started for her to follow daily. This includes such chores as make your bed, straighten the bathroom, and shower daily. It never occured to me that I would have to remind someone to take a shower everyday. Since I'm no longer nine and realized people don't like the stinky person, it is now a chore. For each chore, she gets a star, and then gets rewarded at the end of the week with either allowance, or a fun activity.

I know what some of you are thinking. How hard can it be? She's just nine! Well, how hard can a two year old be? He's just two! Exactly! But if you know me, then you know that I stress over the little things and need to be smacked with some patience.
I know one thing is for sure. Davis is going to have massive withdrawls and such a hard time when he realizes she is no longer here. We really have been having such a fun time. Sunday Spa Night, homemade pasta night, painting. A lot of painting! I have a little Picasso on my hands!

So for now, I'll roll with the punches and still dance around the living room in my own dance party!

Implementing Structure and Routine

When I was pregnant, deciding on whether or not we were going to have a schedule/routine for Davis was one of our biggest decisions. What would the benefits be? Are there any? Is it even worth it? And of course, will it even work? I have to say, that if we did not have a schedule/routine for Davis, I think I may be a mad woman. So many people let the baby decide when he's hungry, when he wants to sleep, when he wants to play. That's wonderful if that works for you, but I don't want to let my baby dictate my life. I was on babycenter.com recently and had a post up asking a question about a four hour schedule. Everyone that I spoke to had similar schedules and agreed they work best to help the child learn and grow. Except for one not so nice lady telling me she lets her child do whatever they like and I was such an awful person for doing this. She obviously wasn't the brightest person ever, seeing as how she couldn't even spell and her 6 month old baby still wakes up 3 different times during the night. So, I decided to write a post as to why I have a schedule, and some of my opinions about it.

Having a regular schedule can be stressful for you and I, but having one for baby provides framework that orders your young child's world. Children thrive on sameness and repetition. This helps them to learn and feel more self confident in their environment. Babies, especially, need routine as far as sleeping, eating, and even activities that lead up to those. "Knowing what is expected cuts down on parenting struggles," says Jodi Mindell, child psychologist and author. Schedules and routines give you control over the situation, which also reduces anxiety because both you and your baby will come to know what to expect next. When it comes to implementing a routine into your life, flexibility plays a vital role. Routines also help babies learn to self-settle and how to be great sleepers. It also helps children deal with separation from their parents and allows them to feel secure and safe. (For example: Davis was sleeping through the night at 8 weeks...on and off for a while....having being used to his sleep schedule. He has now been sleeping 12 hours straight through the night for a few months.)

Routines also help parents know what is wrong with their baby. It helps them to differentiate the different types of cries and what the baby is needing at the time. After you fall into a routine, you will be able to learn the hunger, sleepy, or bored cries. (Davis does this one quite well!) Right around nap time for Davis, he is ready to go down and wants to be put in his bed. If he is kept up too long, he will let us know...for sure. But we also have to be flexible with the schedule as far as getting out of the house and doing things. If we are planning on going to be at someones house for dinner that cuts into his sleep, we are those parents that will bring his pack and play and set it up in a guest bedroom. Otherwise, the night just is not fun at all. He is really good at being able to sleep in new places and will just fall right to sleep.


An infant's brain grows faster during the first year of life than at any other time. By the age of one, their brain will more closely resemble an adult brain. The foundation for healthy physical, emotional, and intellectual development is laid during this time period. Acclimating your infant to a routine has many benefits in these areas of development. By responding to hunger and the need for physical activity, you are providing for healthy physical development. Being attentive to their needs allows them to develop strong bonds and teaches them to trust their caregivers, thus increasing emotional development. Since the most effective learning comes with repetition, intellectual development is strongly supported by a structured routine. The repetition of the routine is what the baby remembers, thereby nurturing memory skills.

We absolutely love having a schedule/routine for Davis and so far it has worked wonderfully for us. No, we are not "programming our child" or strict and freak out if something goes wrong. Having this routine also leaves Michael and I with much needed time to ourselves everyday. As soon as Davis is in bed, it's "our time." Whether it's a late dinner or watching a movie, it has really helped us out a ton to relax and unwind.