I am a master of routine and I truly believe that if you have routines and systems in place across your day, it “helps” eliminate chaos and the unknowns, Evenings are so hard! (And weekend mornings) I want to connect and engage with my kids, but they have had a WHOLE day of others Expectations and demands, that when they come home, they are MUSH- irritable, cranky, and disengaged. I typically add in technology strategically, build motivation and give me time to make dinner, this helped (mostly) to have an evening that feels purposeful and less chaotic. Here’s me evening routine starting 4:00. 4:00- 5:00 I try to engage BOTH kids in play with outside or a family game or 1:1 with play with one for 15 min and the other 15 min- this is where my brain power live- what can we all do together. 5:00-600- tech time I switch it up every day- Danny go, movement, educational tech, NEX playgroun, Nintendo switch. 6:00-7:00 - Dinner and big movement engagment in basement- this is where it gets hard. Because they don’t want to stop playing and their brains are so fatigue. 7:00-8:00 Bath, after dinner snack, brush, books, bed How does your evening routine go? Any rituals or routines you have that help?

You can find monthly training in the classroom under monthly trainings. Anything you are currently in need of? If anyone needs some 1:- support I’m happy to take a call with you, just leave a comment below or message me and I’ll reach out to find a time!

The mention of going to church sent my kids into an immediate refusal and screaming fest. We don’t go on a regular basis, it’s not in our routine to go, but it’s something that my wife and I want to get back to. This one, we chose to just go and take what comes at us. Here were the strategies we used 1. Set them up on a show to get thier mind off it when we got them dressed 2. Created a visual schedule focusing on FUN AFTER- first church then dollar store! 3. Eliminated any verbal negotiations by not responding, just ignoring moving along. 4. When we get into the car you can watch one more episode, 5. When we got to the church- it was more refusal We were late, my wife and I are used to separating now, I said. I’ll just got for 20, you stay with kids then we’ll switch, the boys eventually came into the church but not to the service area. They ended up having cinnamon rolls in the cafeteria, so my wife took them there and I enjoyed a peaceful service full of Christmas music and quiet message. This is a win for us. Last year I would have been crying, so angry and upset that our family can’t even go to church together. But my expectations have shifted and I have learned to let go of some of these societal expectations and really focus on my family. When I do that, the guilt lessens, the anxiety dissipates the urgency is minimal. I’m here, doing my best and so are my kids and that’s ok. They went to church, it looked different and that’s ok. Next week we’ll try again❤️