in the routine (or not)

By experience I have learned the importance of having a daily routine.  Without one, we are "cooked", as my college piano professor would say (except he meant it when he would hear me floundering through the first few outings on a piece of freshly-memorized repertoire).   I don't mean a rigid schedule, because life doesn't work that way.  Flexibility is a vital skill to cultivate.

Having a routine gives everyone a sense of security in knowing what's coming next and what to expect.  We're not beholden to it, but I find everyone (including Mama) fares far better when we work within the general framework of the routine (even on the weekends).  Ours includes a sequence of getting-ready-in-the-morning events and planning activities and things that need to get done for the mornings when we're all a little fresher. Of primary importance to our routine is the midday lunch and siesta.  We also have a bedtime routine including pajamas, the dispensing of vitamins and allergy medicine, books, snuggling, and prayers.

We're a little off our routine.    When siesta time doesn't happen as usual for whatever reason, this spells trouble later in the day and at bedtime.  The lads rarely nap anymore, but the lass does, and we all settle down and read books together for a while.

Since we're running a marathon here and not just sprinting, it's vital for us to stick with the ebb and flow of activity and rest in order to not just make it through the day, but really make the most of the gift each day is. (Though sometimes just making it through the day is an accomplishment.)

Here's hoping we're back on our routine in short order.  That's what I'm working toward...