A daily schedule with an infant is difficult to arrange, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It will not only allow you to deal with the necessary, everyday activities, but will also be a chance to find some time for yourself.
Use a nap
What your day will be like depends to a great extent on your baby’s naps. A proven way is to use them for things that would be difficult to do with an active baby. Examples include shopping or making dinner.
So if your little one is sleeping twice a day, for example, you can spend these moments preparing lunch and having free time for yourself. At times when your baby usually takes a nap, it is better not to schedule noisy activities, such as vacuuming, or make an appointment for a specific time to see a doctor or an appointment.
We can do many activities together with the child, but it is worth planning them in such a way that they end before the potential nap time, so as not to force the child to sleep. The toddler must have time to drink milk and fall asleep in silence and in favorite conditions. Thanks to this, we will avoid crying, overstimulation and later difficulties in falling asleep.
Babies rarely fall asleep at the same time, so our punctuality can suffer greatly. Many parents adapt the daily cycle to the hours of sleep of the child. Although it is difficult at first, it turns out to be quite practical over time.
Multifunctional walk
A walk with a baby is not only about time spent outdoors. It helps to regulate your daily schedule. Babies usually fall asleep during a walk, or at least they get a bit hungry and are more likely to fall asleep at home. Use it.
Plan your walks every day at specific times, such as around 11:00 am. Such an exit will allow not only for quick shopping or small errands, but also for the child to fall asleep. In this way, the toddler will get used to his daily schedule – he falls asleep on a walk, and after returning home, he will have a meal or a good time.
For older babies, who don’t fall asleep so easily outside, you can use the exit to make them ‘tired’. A toddler full of impressions returning home would definitely like to have a little lunch and a nap. And that means a moment for you.
Daily rituals
Not only a walk and a nap, but also meals and even baths should be included in your daily rituals. They will make it easier to plan the day (you know what hours are dedicated to specific activities for the child) and give the child a sense of security and get used to specific activities. An example is the aforementioned bath, which is always followed by dinner and singing lullabies.
Scheduling duties will also work well in the daily cycle, especially in the evening, when your partner is usually at home. Every dad should spend this time on a child – playing, feeding or changing the baby .
Evening rituals with dad are primarily about building closeness between the child and the parent, which has a positive effect on all family members. The evening is also a great time for baby care , including a bath, but also a calming massage.
Daily cycle and child’s activity
It is worth remembering that human activity in its daily cycle is variable and this also applies to children. They are most active in the morning until noon and in the afternoon, even until 19:00. Use these times to play, meet friends and other children.
You shouldn’t suddenly change your child’s daily schedule, for example expecting to go to sleep two hours earlier this time so that they can spend time with their guests when they wake up. The toddler will probably rebel and cry instead of sleep. Of course, there may be times when your baby is asleep and actually falls asleep earlier. However, it depends on his mood and previous activities, so it is not recommended to put the child to sleep or force-feed or “in advance”.
Anna Bator
