a new routine?

It's no secret that sometimes I really struggle as a parent. I know we all do at times, but I have always struggled with consistency when it comes to disciplining as well as just general parenting!! In the past year I have read around 8 parenting books. No Drama Discipline and Playful Parenting were two of the best, but once the books were read I found that it all just went back to normal. I'm fairly good with kids snacks- they rarely eat sugary snacks and are really good fruit and veg eaters, so that's never really been an issue. But screen time is. I'm pretty rubbish at controlling screen time because they are so blooming quiet and well behaved when they're sat behind my phone/iPad/Nintendo, etc etc. Terrible, I know. However, once the screen time is over, the bad behaviour begins. I find that with Jacob, it seems to wind him up and over excite him. I've not read too much into the effects of screen time on children, but as I have started reading a book called Calmer, Easier, Happier Boys, it goes into some detail on the effects - particularly in quite sensitive children. I feel like, 10 years ago, the challenges parents had were about trying to get the TV switched off. Now, four year olds aren't as interested in the TV as they are phones/iPads/games consoles. There's just so many things for them to do that revolve around screens. As I'm writing this, Tillie is drinking some oat milk and watching CBeebies, so I feel like a slight hypocrite but we have been at a playgroup this morning, and as this is what would have been her nap time I feel like some down time is needed occasionally.

This morning was the start of what I hope will be a new routine. On a normal day previously, the kids would wake us up around 6.30-6.45am. I wouldn't want to get up (and neither would Jack) so we'd give them our phones to let us have 10 more minutes in bed. Eventually we'd get up feeling sluggish and grumpy, and we'd give the kids their breakfast after putting Milkshake on for them. Often Jacob would also be playing on the phone/iPad or Nintendo. I'd be feeling lazy too so I'd be sat with them until gone 8am when I'd finally start getting us all ready in a massive rush that ended with me screaming at everyone to get out of the house to school.

This morning was completely different. I'd decided last night that I was going to do my work out in the morning (Beach Body on Demand). So I set my alarm for 6am (finally got out of bed at 6.20) and made my way downstairs. I actually did my work out in my pyjamas! I did however put on my sports bra because I didn't fancy knocking myself out. Jacob made his way downstairs half way through my work out but just sat chatting to me on the sofa. We had NO screen time this morning. It was amazing. The kids played together whilst they had their breakfast. They didn't fall out once. I walked the dog whilst Jack got ready for work, so I didn't have the added stress of walking him to school and tying him at the gates. And we actually had time to spare once we got to school. No screaming at the kids to get their shoes and coats on. We had time to do it all calmly.

Once I get Jacob from school I'm hoping we can have very limited screen time with just a little TV whilst I get dinner ready. Here's hoping for a calm evening. And a calm rest of the week!

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash