The schedule

When I was little, we never went anywhere. Mom was always busy caring for the little ones and keeping up with the garden and house. It was a rare event when Mom ventured out to go grocery shopping with all five of us in tow. I can only imagine. We did occasionally take off to visit Grandma (my Mom's mom) for the day, but that was about the extent of our outings until we got old enough to participate in sports and school stuff.

We were all active in all kinds of stuff in high school, and then there was college, and then a job that pushed me into the realm of WAY TOO INVOLVED in projects and ministries and social groups. I have spent the last fifteen years running from one event to the next. Even during this past 20 or so months, I've kept up with playgroups and a few volunteer things with Olivia in tow.

Now we are confined to the house five days a week because I'm babysitting. And I thought it would be hard. But you know what? It is SO MUCH EASIER.

Olivia sleeps better. She goes down for naps better and quicker. She's consistently ready for bed at the same time each night and doesn't fight it. She eats more regularly and doesn't throw as many tantrums and is learning all about sharing (in bits and pieces...it's imperfect, but coming along).

So I'm thinking...perhaps the lack of a consistent schedule before was throwing her little system into a tizzy. She is best behaved when she's on a predictable schedule. Go figure.

I guess my Mom knew what she was doing when she kept us all at home most of the time when we were little. While it can be a little isolating (and she didn't even have the internet!), it makes life with a toddler (or, in Mom's case, several small children) much, much easier.