This post is in conjunction with TEMPUR® but all thoughts are my own
I’ve teamed up with TEMPUR® to share how routine comforts have helped us throughout lockdown. And how we’ve stayed consistent ready for the much-anticipated return to school!
Routines prime us for success.
They help us achieve more, think clearly, and do work that actually matters.
They keep us from stumbling through our day and make sure we get the most important things done.
Ask any successful person what their routine is and they’re sure to have one. Because setting yourself up for the day and knowing how your day is going to go allows you to be more efficient and successful in life.
Some of the world’s most successful people start their day as early as 4 am. – I’m not that crazy. But I do love a good routine and believe it’s key to a successful day.
Like many, during the lockdown, we struggled.
The biggest factor for this was that our routine was gone.
Staying at home and having no structure to our days was not the norm and the smallest people in our house were affected by this the most.
We went from having a set time to be ready and leaving the house each day to having nowhere to go. Our usual evening activities and weekend plans were no longer an option.
Nobody left the house.
This was the hardest for me.
Gone were the days of myself and the 2-year-old coming home from school run to a quiet house. Drinking tea in front of the television or sharing toast at our favourite toddler group.
Those first few weeks we let our routine go, and this was our downfall.
Emotions were high, homeschool felt impossible and we found ourselves drifting from one day to the next with no known destination.
Seeing how this was affecting our family I knew we needed to get back into some form of routine.
This began with a good bedtime routine for the children.
A good night’s sleep is vital to a productive day.
We’ve always made sure our children have a good mattress for their growing bodies to ensure they sleep well.
Our bedtime routine consisted of both children getting ready at a set time, the same time every night, they choose two books each and we alternate which parent they get each night. I’ll do one, Daddy does the other. The following night, we switch.
We used to read stories cuddled up in bed with them. Taylor has a ‘small double’ bed which you can find on the TEMPUR® mattress size guide. It’s the perfect size to shimmy in next to him and cuddle up and will last him many years to come. This, however, wasn’t helping our routine.
Given that hygiene is a top current concern, TEMPUR® will be offering disposable mattress covers, protective gloves, and antibacterial hand gel in stores to ensure that in-store mattress testing is as safe as possible.
Stories are now read from the side of their beds, so we’re not cuddled up in bed with them.
This allows them the space to relax and wind down by themselves and means when we leave the room they’re not immediately disrupted by our absence and can settle by themselves.
We then put their audiobooks on using the Yoto player and Tonie box and leave them to drift off alone.
Following on from the bedtime routine, consistency has been a key part of minimising stress and anxiety in our home since lockdown.
Setting a consistent schedule helped everyone feel calmer, knowing what was expected next in the day meant we were no longer drifting through our day and we could focus on the tasks at hand.
The children responded better knowing that once they were up, they had to get dressed. They then knew that Schoolwork and playtime would follow this. Instead of 2 hours of Netflix in their pyjamas!
Being consistent with our new routine was key, without consistency nobody knows what to expect and everything begins to unravel again.
We began practicing mindfulness, baking, colouring and encouraging the children to take time out for themselves.
Being surrounded by one another 24/7 had its pros but in some instances, it was too much and everyone can benefit from having their own space.
This was more beneficial to me. Finding an hour to be alone and recharge was, and still is, vital to keeping our routine going.
You can’t run on empty and you can’t put all of your efforts into making things easier for everyone else if it is detrimental to your own wellbeing.
As the summer holidays draw to a close and we prepare for school to reopen, I like many parents across the nation, am feeling nervous about the safety and wellbeing of my family.
If, like myself, you’re feeling nervous about the return to school. Or you’re worried about the potential of another lockdown occurring, remember routine and consistency is key.
Stick to your routine and your days will run more smoothly.
You’ve got this!
