“Make sure you’re adhering to the schedule.”
“Are you following the schedule?”
“Is your schedule posted for this week?”
Schedule. Schedule. Schedule!!
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When I began as a substitute with Head Start in Hays County, this was absolutely one of the number one rules. If you weren’t on schedule, it was going to throw the entire class off. If you weren’t on schedule, it was going to ruin one of the kid’s days which, in turn, would ruin everybody else’s day. And that is what I was taught from the very beginning.
Schedules make the world go ’round.
Which is why eight years later, several students and schools later, it was of upmost importance that my daughter should have a very strict schedule! It was my mindset and just hearing other mommies, it was just the thing to do.
From her naps to her feedings, from her “playtime” to her tummy time, my daughter knew what was going to happen. Or at least, I thought she would and that it would be easier in the long run. So when family and friends would come over, I was so insistent that she stay on time, even though people wanted to spend time with her.
When my husband came home, he would obviously want to make up for lost time with her and I would cut it short because it was time for her nap or her bottle.
I didn’t realize what I was doing and with both of us being first time parents, he didn’t question me. It stressed me out, y’all.
I lost sleep because I was worried when she was going to wake up. If she woke up too early, she would mess up her feeding schedule. If she woke up too late, she would mess up her napping schedule. It drove me crazy! This went on for a couple of months. It wasn’t until her bedtime routine one night when I held her in my arms and she looked up at me with her beautiful smile and I realized “I never scheduled in cuddles for my own daughter!”
I was so broken-hearted, I cried and I held her extra tight that night and talked to her because at that moment, her schedule was finished!!
Of course I had held her during feedings and talked and played with her every chance I could, but it was very rare that I just held her and admired my adorable little baby girl. What mom in her right mind would do that?!
It was time for a change. And you know what? It felt like a weight being lifted from my chest. I’m not saying she completely does her own thing. She’s only 7 months! But it feels amazing to just go with the flow. Before, if she hadn’t had her bottle by 11:15, then she wasn’t going to nap right and I would just completely skip trips to the grocery store and then just try again the next day. Yes, it was that insane. Now, she’s happier, I’m happier, hubby is happier and life is easier! We take trips to the aquarium, trips to the park (weather permitting), trips to visit daddy’s office, and we have so much fun. And everyday, there is cuddle time. Whether she wants it or not.
You always hear the saying “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” and right now, while she still can’t run away from me, I’m going to “schedule” in as many cuddles as I possibly can.
