Young Kid Schedule?

[Hockley]

For those that have young kids, what is their schedule? We have a 1 and a 3yr old, and my wife and I need to do a better job of getting them on a schedule. Our problem is that we ourselves don't have a set schedule in the mornings, or evenings for that matter, so therefore our kids don't.

Depending on what we have going we may let our kids sleep till as late as 8AM before we wake them up. Then we will have breakfast with them, get them dressed and have them to daycare no later than 9:30AM. Of course there are other times when we have early meetings and we are getting them dressed still asleep and to day care by 6:30AM.

The evenings are more formal I guess. Typically pick them up between 5 and 6. Get home, have a snack, and then outside to walk the dogs or play until 7 or so. Come in and eat or baths, depending on dinner status, and then start trying to get them to bed by 9. The 3yr old is really fighting going to bed and doesn't eat much at dinner so I'm thinking the lack of a defined schedule and the afternoon snack are the issues.

Just looking to see what others do.

[bowaddict40]

My daughter is not little anymore (11), but she has been on a schedule since day 1. She gets up every morning at 7 for school. Makes her breakfast and lunch for school. We eat every night at 6:30. She has just this year gotten her bedtime changed to 9. When she was your kids age she was an 8pm bedtime. Get a set routine every night for bed. We used to read to her every night for 15min. Now she is required to read for 30min before bed. Fortunately she loves to read. Once they get a set bedtime every night it will be easier. As far as eating maybe eat earlier and cut out the snack. We dont give snacks within a couple hours of eating. The snack doesnt have to be much. Maybe a couple of slices of apple with a little peanut butter on them or something.

[TxAg]

Get them in bed at 7:30 or 8. 9 is too late

[Mike]

I know we had it pretty easy with the wife being a teacher, her schedule dictated everything so our boys were up at 6:30 and dropped off at daycare at 7ish. Evenings were the same but we always had a hard time with a bedtime. Most of the time it was 9ish.

I can't speak for their exact schedules but we have some super moms in our neighborhood that work out at 5am, come home at 6am, the kids at school at 7:15 and they have the kids in bed at 7:30 or 8pm each night. I know this is their bed time as they complain about any loud noises after 8pm as that is their "mommy time", lol.

[PhotonSlinger]

I have one that will be 5 next month and one that will be 3 in June. They are up every morning around 0615. Bath time is around 1930 and bedtime around 2000 to 2030. Friday and Saturday they get to hang out and play a little later before going to bed. This has been there schedule since the day they were born, obviously excluding infant phase.

[CEO]

My four year old wakes up at 7am and gets to day care between 8:00-8:10. Pick him up about 4:15, play for a while. Dinner at 6:30, clean up, bed at 8:00. Weekends he sometimes stays up later but he never sleeps past 7 (his choice).

Daughter is 14 but had the same schedule when younger.

[bbqfan5909]

Have a 2 year old. She’s woken up 6:45 And daycare by 7:15. Picked up around 5 and we typically do dinner around 6. Walks/ play time after dinner and bath time is 8 and bed time follows soon after. Weekends we let her sleep as long as she is willing and bed time is determined on what we are doing. Monday’s are always hard, but she sleeps like a champ.

[RLB]

My wife did a fantastic job of this early. Our kids (11 and 8) are showered by 7:00-7:15 and in bed by 8:00 every school night. We eat dinner every night before 6:30. Kids are up at 6:30 to get ready for school. Weekends are a little more lax.

She started this when they were 3-4 and she didn't waver or budge.....you have to be stern and stick to the schedule.

[texas shag]

We have a 2.5 year old and a 6 month old. We have them up at 615-630 am and to daycare between 7 and 730 am daily. In the evening, we have them home by 6, eat dinner, take a bath, play a few minutes, read books and do puzzles, and have them to sleep by 745. This schedule is like clockwork unless they are sick. Works well for us, and the kids are well rested.

We both work hard during the day, and frankly would like to spend more time with them give the opportunity. That’s said, We definitely make it up to them on the weekends with 100% quality time. We both have ownership in companies, so flexibility is very limited during the weeks.

[Mayhem]

Anyone who says they cant put kids in a schedule has no idea what they are talking about.

I have 2 and since they were newborn they have been on a schedule.

They are 6 and 9 and still have the same schedule.

In bed by 7pm.

up between 5-5:30am

drop off at day care 6:15am ish.

go to school all day.

I pick them up from day care by 4pm.

main reason for the early bed time is because I get up at 2am for work, so im able to put them in bed with the wife.

[walker1983]

Have 2yo and 4yo boys.
They are in bed by 8-830PM usually. We put an automatic light in their rooms that changes color @ 7AM when they are allowed to get out of bed.

[duckboy007]

Have 2yo and 4yo boys.
They are in bed by 8-830PM usually. We put an automatic light in their rooms that changes color @ 7AM when they are allowed to get out of bed.

Now that's a good idea. We've got an almost 2 year old and a 5 year old that we are moving into the same room, bunk beds. I will def be doing this!

Ours are bedtime at 7:30, which is really when we start changing clothes and reading and such, the toddler is usually out in 5 minutes, but we're having to start keeping an eye on the 5 year old, he will stay up and read for an hour if you don't kind of get on him. I love to see him reading on his own, but his behavior usually suffers the next day.

[Hooverfb]

Well up until recently ,my son would wake up no matter what at about 630-7am. Didnt matter if he stayed up late. Took a nap around 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Then yo bed like clockwork at 7pm.
He recently turned 3 and is suddenly fighting the 7pm bed time,and is having nightmares etc that keep him from sleeping. Think it's just a growth stage thing but just remember kids aren't scheduled,but you can teach them what to expect.

[TMC50]

Right now bot mine, almost 4 and 1.5, go to bed around 9. Eat dinner at 6-6:30. No idea when they wake up as I’m already gone but on the weekends it’s anywhere from 6-7.

Wife is a stickler on a schedule so I let her run with it as she is home way more than I am

[Antlers86]

7, 6 and 1.

We went with an old book that was handed down to us. Dr Denmark is the author. Every child we had we immediately started on a schedule. All 3 would sleep 10-12 hrs at night and they still do. 7pm is bed time for all and they get up around 6-6:30am right now. Scheduled is very important and sticking to it even when on vacation.

Anytime the kids argue about bed time no matter what they are in their bed. Whether they stay awake and read a book, sing to themselves or whatever we make sure they are in bed.

All have a nap time during the day right now at 1pm. My oldest stays awake most of the time and either goes to work at the ranch with me or works cows next door with Grandpa.

We homeschool so schedule is easier to set compared to most people's work schedules.