This tip brought to you by our Dad Guru John Valadez
on Aug 15, 2009
On Saturday mornings I like to wake up early and make my kids some organic pancakes. These pancakes are quick easy and good for our children’s health. We treat the weekends like any other day so no one sleeps in or lounges around in their pajamas until noon. It’s business as usually. Keeping the schedule the same, but changing the itinerary avoids the dreaded “Mondays”. After breakfast I let them play in their room while I take a shower and get ready for the coming day. When I’m finished I get them ready and let play inside until around 10 am. We then head outdoors – weather permitting.
Sometimes, if it’s warm enough, I let them play in the rain. They love those days and it gets them outside running around expelling some of that energy.
Around 11:30 we head back inside and I make them lunch. After lunch I let them play in their room for another hour and then we head back outdoors. If it’s really warm they swim, but if it’s not, then we play in the backyard. At 3 pm we go back inside and I let them play video games or whatever they want for another hour - 4 pm is television. I allow them to watch 1 hour of television per day while I prepare dinner and then they eat. The T.V. gets turned off at 5pm or I watch the food network. I’m addicted to the food network. After dinner it’s bath time, if it’s a bath day, and they put on their pajamas – 7pm is bedtime.
I find it important to keep my children on a consistent schedule, especially on the weekends.
