Organizing the Busy Mom’s Day with Routines Rather Than Schedules

Written by Kristen, Contributing Writer

I like my days to be organized. I like to see a list, check things off, and know that I’ve accomplished the important tasks that need done for my day. If I can get ahead on something, well by golly, I’ll take those bonus points, too! It didn’t take me long, however, to realize that keeping my days organized can be quite challenging when I’m working with a crew of little people. Rather than beat myself up over not sticking with a schedule that is ruled by the clock, I’ve found basic daily routines to be a much better fit for me and my young family.

Why Schedules Don’t Work For Me

I’d honestly really like to get up at the same time every morning, go to bed at the same time every night, finish our homeschooling at the same time every afternoon, and have dinner ready at the same time every evening. But in real life, this just doesn’t happen for me. Why?

Babies keep me up at night, and try as I might, I don’t have the super-power of going on limited sleep for an unlimited time.

Toddlers are really good at throwing multiple curveballs, and sometimes do so with cannon balls. They are cute for a reason, and their uncanny ability to throw a day’s time table off just might be one of them!

Young children still have many needs, and I’m generally the one to meet those needs.

I’ve had to realize that my time is not my own at this stage of my life. I’m constantly setting aside the things I want to do or think I should do to take care of what my children really need for me to do, or maybe just really want me to do. I can either resent that, or work with it. I’ve decided to work with it, and organizing my day with routines instead of schedules helps me with that goal.

Routines and Schedules: What’s the Difference?

The whole concept of working with daily routines instead of schedules was first introduced to me by a mom of eight at a homeschool convention. Hearing her wisdom and experience for daily living made so much sense to me! Focusing on routine rather than schedule was one thing she really emphasized.

Schedules are run by the clock. We organize our daily activities by the time and work to meet certain deadlines throughout the day. If something isn’t finished during it’s allotted time, we can either panic, put it off for the next day, or make it up during free time.

Routines, on the other hand, allow us the flexibility to follow a typical pattern for each day and to know what is expected without keeping our eye on the clock the whole time. There is still daily accountability, but it’s combined with more freedom and less pressure. As a mom of young children, I’m continually reminded how important flexibility is!

How I Use Routine in My Home

Putting a daily routine into practice for our home has been a great help to our homeschooling days, and just life in general. My children have a good idea of what happens when and I still enjoy a level of freedom to shuffle things around, finish schoolwork whenever we are done, or serve lunch at 2pm instead of noon.

For example, I try to get up around the same time every morning. I’ve found that a key element to fitting everything into my very full homeschooling days. But I’m expecting our fifth child, and sometimes I need extra rest and simply can’t get up when I’d like to. Working with a routine allows me to sleep a little later if I really need it. That does mean our day gets off to a later start, but that’s okay.

This is another common one: the toddler morphs into Baby Destructo. Maybe it’s scrambled eggs and smoothie spilled all over the carpet again. Or maybe she dumped out multiple puzzles while I was busy somewhere else. Or perhaps she snuck into the lazy Susan in the kitchen and poured oats out all over the floor. (They’re cute for a reason, remember?) Working with a routine keeps me from fretting any more than I already am because I’m not staring at the clock and thinking about how far behind I’m getting with my day.

Truthfully, I do still watch the clock with our daily routines. I still like finishing school around the same time and having our family dinner at a consistent time. But I also try to give myself, and my children, grace to not be a slave to the ticking face on the wall. 

Do you find it hard to run your day according to a strict schedule? Or are you opposite, finding schedules to work best for your family?