Comments on: Scheduling & Routines: You Can't Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

By: Erika Shupe

Erika Shupe — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:59:02 +0000

You can do it! =) I was just talking at church with a friend who's son has autism, too, and she was saying how much she really need a schedule for him as it's crucial for autistic children. One idea she liked for her son is the use of timers through out the day to keep track of how long her son would be in "activities" or play spaces. I cannot yet go by the clock, say 9am to 10am every day exactly, because there are so many young-young ones with spontaneous needs (4 children need diapers changed, laundry needs to be switched, someone needs consequences or training, someone else needs redirection, then back to the child doing school. LOL But we always get in that 60 min. block of time at some point in the morning and I keep track of that with a timer. I have a timer on the son doing 15 min. of chapter book reading, a timer in someone in time out, a timer on our babies 30 min. activities (twins), a timer telling me when to start dinner, and a timer on the son playing in his room for 60 min. I need to be faithful to rotate kids through their activities and not leave them places indefinitely, and when I am then they rest in where they are. There are lots more posts on scheduling on our blog, LargeFamiliesOnPurpose.com which may help you find a plan for your own family's style. =)

By: srkindredspirits

srkindredspirits — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:25:00 +0000

i loved Erika's blog and spent a few 'hours' (yes, I admit – I was neglecting some house work) there – although I only have three kids, I lack very much at keeping a schedule/routine, but with my 4 yr. old having autism – I see it is more nessesary. I began making my own tonight! Thanks so much!

By: Phyllis

Phyllis — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:47:46 +0000

Wow. The schedule is utterly amazing. Thank you for sharing. A detailed schedule like that would never in a thousand years work for our family, though. I do best with a simple, flexible, routine. Each family is different!

By: Erika Shupe

Erika Shupe — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:19:38 +0000

Yep, that little son just hasn't needed as much sleep as the other kiddos, and so to avoid problems of him keeping others awake, etc., we decided to go with his sleep schedule that he needs to the best of our ability. I'm sure it'll change as he gets older, but that's where he is as of age 4. =) We've found that it's more pleasant and successful to go with what our children need rather than trying to force them to do what all the other children are doing – as much as that sounds so nice. *chuckle*