Schedule? What Schedule?
I've never been one for a schedule. I'm not much of a planner either, and it would be amazing if I ever made it to work on time. So when it comes to keeping another little human being on a schedule, let's just say it's been a challenge.
At first, no one expects a newborn to obey a sleeping schedule; they sleep when and where they want. But after a while, most mothers, (or so I hear) have their babies on a sleeping schedule. Their babies nap so-and-so many times at their allotted time slots, and hit their bedtimes within the same ten-minute frame every night. Their perfect angels wake up refreshed and ready to drink their scheduled 4.5 ounces of formula followed by a bath and shiny new outfit, free of stains and spit-up. Yea, I wish...
You see, my life with my 7-month old daughter Rosa is a little different. Ok, it's a lot different. My child's day is spent with a wide arrangement of caretakers: two days with daycare, two days with her grandmother and the rest with mom and dad.
At 7 months, the most important schedule I'm 'supposed' to be keeping track of is her food, and that is where I truly fail as a mother. I get bombarded with the comments: "So what time do you feed her solids in the day?" and "Oh my, you didn't start with vegetables, did you?" and my favorite, "Ooooh, so you're giving her formula now?"
So all you mothers out there, I confess: I am a bad mother. My child doesn't have a bedtime and I don't give her solid food every day and never at the same time, and yes, I am now using formula.
Here's my question in response. Why all the pressure? My child is happy and loved beyond belief, so is a lack of schedule really going to hurt her? I mean, at least I got her to take some solids. Check out the picture--she's now eating orange food (seriously, only orange food- her choice, not mine). Maybe next month I may try and 'schedule' something green, but don't hold your breath.
posted by Jennifer at
4:08 PM
3 Comments:
Oh... a schedule? What is that? My son is 6, and I still struggle with that whole schedule thing. Some people are schedule people, but I like to think of myself not as "willy-nilly," but as "spontaneous." Anyway, I think one of the things wrong with our society is the schedule. Why should I eat at noon or 6pm if I'm not hungry at those times? By the way, spontaneity leads to really great stuff as your child gets older. Hey! Let's go fly a kite! Right now! :-)
Schedules are hard. I try to stick to something "generalized" like the twins nap between 9:30 and 10 and again sometime after lunch. And some days they don't follow my generalizations and they go to bed early. Same thing for my older kids....the only thing I'm a HUGE stickler about is bedtime, because I have a school aged child who absolutely needs her rest. And a 3 year old who feels that 5:30 am is the MOST appropriate time to get up. So you work within your childrens' boundaries and make things work for YOUR family. People are too nosy these days and everyone has their own RIGHT way of doing things.
And orange food tastes the best! Green is bitter, but my girls love peas. Give her time.
My 7 month old has a very rough schedule and she is on formula now too. She still takes 4 naps a day because she naps so poorly, and if someone she doesn't know well is watching her then any resemblance of her "schedule" is tossed out the door. My sister has always been amazing at getting her kids on schedules by the time they are 8 weeks old. I have two kids and neither of them have ever been very predictable.
My baby only likes the Orange veggies too. I mix her green in with some fruit. (I think that's another big no-no)
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