I am a very routine-oriented person. I have always been that way, and I run my classroom in that way as well (as much as I can have a routine being a teacher). So when I had my first baby, I knew having a routine for naptime and bedtime was going to be a part of my requirements. Let me tell you-it is paying off. With my first born we were hyper-focused on a routine (maybe, at times, too focused on a routine); with my second baby we still maintained a routine, though maybe not as strict as with our first; and with my third baby we continued to maintain that routine much like my middle child.
When our babies were newborns (0-3 months), we snuggled them whenever they needed to be snuggled, and fed them whenever they woke up to eat. We did not enforce a routine until we began regular nap times and bedtimes-around 4 months. We always had an early bedtime for our kids-and still do. Our kids are all in bed at 7pm-no exceptions. Sleep is essential to everyone, especially babies and kids. They expend so much energy throughout the day running, playing, hardly stopping, that they need an early bedtime so they can get into a solid REM sleep. And you know what? All of our kids are good sleepers. I attribute this to the routine nap time and bedtime we enforced at an early age.
Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but I believe that kids really need to be “taught” how to sleep. Setting a routine helps them learn the calm down process before bed and sets them up for the required amount of sleep each night. According to the Sleep Foundation, infants 4-11 months old should be getting anywhere from 12-15 hours of sleep per day; toddlers 1-2 years old require 11-14 hours of sleep each day; and preschool age kids require 10-13 hours of sleep per day. Putting our kids to bed at 7pm gives them plenty of time to get into a deep sleep (because toddlerhood bedtimes can sometimes be never-ending). Our kids typically wake up anywhere from 6-7am. This early bedtime in combination with their minimum of an hour “quiet time” or nap time, allows them to get the required number of hours of sleep each day.
Of course, some days things happen-sicknesses can derail your routine, or night terrors (something we experienced with our son), or countless other things. So it is important to remember that while a routine is the goal, sometimes things don’t go as planned…and that’s okay. Whenever things calm down again, just get right back to the routine. If you have instilled a solid routine with your kids, you will find that when those moments of craziness pass, it will be easy for your kids to hop right back into their routine.
Now let’s get to what our typical routine looks like for our kids. This is what works for us and our schedule:
Toddler Routine (roughly):
6am: Wake up and eat breakfast
7am-10am: Walk the dogs and playtime-indoor and outdoor, but preferred outdoor
10am-11am: Screen time (or reading, coloring, playing with figurines, etc.)
11am-12pm Quiet time upstairs-our rule is you don’t necessarily have to sleep but you must be in your bedroom and quiet
12pm-12:30pm: Lunchtime
12:30-2:30pm: Playtime-indoor and outdoor, but preferred outdoor
2:30pm-4pm: Inside play with blocks, color, artwork, figurines (“guys” as our kids call them)
4:00: Upstairs for tubs
5:00pm: Dinnertime
5:30-6pm: Playtime
6pm-7pm: Screen time to wind down before bed (typically we alternate and let each kid choose a movie or show to watch)
7pm-Brush teeth, read books, and bed
This is a rough estimate of our daily routine with toddlers. Sometimes, they surprise us and sleep later in the morning, or take a longer nap, but typically this is average. No matter what we don’t let them sleep beyond 2 hours during the day as that can lead to a rough bedtime.
Here’s a Look at our Baby Routine (3 month old):
5-6am: Wake up and bottle
6am-8am: Playtime on activity mat, tummy time
8am-11am: Bottle and naptime (our baby is eating every 4 hours so we work around that feeding schedule. You will have to work around how often your baby is eating)
11am-1pm: Playtime and books
1pm-3pm: Bottle and naptime
3pm-7pm: Playtime-this time is usually out for a walk, or on the activity mat or practicing tummy time, etc.
7pm: Bottle and bedtime
Again, this is a rough estimate of a daily routine with an infant. Your routine will be dependent on the frequency of feedings.
No matter what your routine looks like, I do strongly believe in setting a routine at an early age. I think it sets your children up to not only easily get their required number of sleep hours, but also it teaches them expectations, a skill they will need as they grow up. So all of you type A mommas like me, get to planning that routine!
