Schedules - Spartanburg,SC

Hello! Calm down. As long as your son knows he is important to you and you spend time together, he will be fine. Make sure you remember to take the time out when you can and to listen to him. All kids really wantis be loved. I am sure you love him and he knows that. As for a sechedule, I would say breakfast around 8:00-8:30. Play time while learnign after that, outside time, lunch around 11:30-12:00. Nap after that. It is usually best to have him up by 2:30 or 3:00 so he can go to bed at a good hour. After nap, have a snack, then more play outside time. Dinner around 6:00, bath, book bed. Kids learn through plaing. While you are playing make sure you are talking to him abuot what he is doing and colors, shapes, etc. That is how they learn.

I work in child care and am currently in school for early childhood education. I want to open a pre-school. As long as you are remembering to take the time out, and listing to him, you will be fine. When the baby comes, rememeber to keep taking the time out and listing to him. It will be a lot harder but it will help him. Also, let him help with the baby. Let him help feed, change, bath the baby. he can help gather the materials for the event and so forth. It will bring all of you closer.

Whoa....slow down! You are putting WAY too much pressure on yourself and Connor. I have chilodren the same age. Noah is 3 1/2 and Alex is 10 months.

Our only schedule is really nap time. I don't find having anything else scheduled works well. It's just puts too much pressure on myself and my son.

Right now, I would not enact many changes b/c Connor's life is going to be very disrupted when his brother is born. If you get him out of his bed now, guarantee he will be back when the baby is born. I might go ahead and buy a toddler bed, and start that process though. We had a Noah in a toddler bed in our room, and then we moved him to a big bed in his room.

I think instead of all the TV time, you might want to buy him an educational game for the computer. My son loved the Pooh preschool game, and it helped with his numbers and letters. Also, we do sidewalk chalk a lot with #s and letters.

After I had my baby, life was crazy for about the 1st 3 months and then we settled into our routine. I pumped and am still pumping, and it was my only 10 mins of relief.

Also, maybe Connor would benefit from a part time preschool program? My son goes twice a week from 9-1.

My best advice is RELAX. Enjoy both the ages.

We don't necessarily have a schedule. My son will be 2 in a few weeks and I am expecting a daughter due March 1st. He goes to daycare right now during the week because I am still working and he has a schedule there that he seems to be adjusting to more at home. Our main issue is he doesn't like to take naps at home and I have to let him wear himself out or he will fall asleep in the car sometimes. I let him sleep as long as he wants but he is usually up by 9 am, I make him breakfast as soon as he gets up and we go to the potty. We then brush our teeth and get dressed for the day. We watch "Cars" and play with his toys. We eat lunch between 11:30 and 12:30 then I try to get him to nap!!! He sits with me in the living room and plays toys until he wears himself out. He gets a snack at 2:30 then if it's not too cold we go outside for about 30 minutes, because I have a hard time chasing him, nowadays!!! And then we come in and watch "Cars" while playing toys again. We have dinner between 6 and 7 and we take a bath at 8, get ready for bed (brush teeth, read a story, give mommy and daddy night night kisses, etc.) and then he is in bed at 9pm. To be honest the least compromisable thing is bedtime, even if I let him stay up late, he won't. We went to eat the other night and because they were busy we ended up at home at 9:15, the whole way home he kept whining that he wanted to go night night. I suggest taking the cues from your son, he will set his own schedule. I know what it's like to have a momma's boy, my son is too, but he has started getting more independent because I let him do alot of things by himself now. I let him wash himself and brush his own teeth and so on. He wants to do everything by himself now and that helps with your sanity. I wish you the very best.

We have always been a "Schedule family" (probably from all my years of teaching pre-school) so I really agree with Dianna B. I also have a 2 1/2 year old son, but he is my second child. I also have a first grader. But either way, a schedule has helped sooo much and actually is VERY similar to what Dianna was suggesting. It really works well, but don't stress if on some days you are out and about. As long as they get lunch at the "normal time" and have the opportunity to fall asleep (whether strolling around the mall or in the car on the way home from errands) when they usually would for nap, they will do fine. Learning can be added in when you have the time to do it during the day (its great if you can schedule it in, but sometimes thats hard to do). Just don't forget that sandwiches can be cut into shapes, food can be fun exciting colors (baby carrots or grapes) and the one great thing I have found is BATH TOYS! They are fun and educational. You can buy the foam letters that stick to the shower wall, there are tub puzzles, and even crayons for the bath. That has been great for both my boys! Bath time is relaxing, fun and un-stressful which makes it easy on everyone. Hope this helps! Good luck with everything, You will do great!!!! :)

Hi D.,

I'm not much help on the schedule topic, but I wanted to share a piece of advice I was given before my second son arrived. After the baby arrives and before your older son is introduced to him, have someone put the baby in the bassinet. Then, bring Connor in and hug him and kiss him and tell him his new brother is so excited to meet him. THEN, have someone bring the baby to BOTH of you. That way, your self-discribed momma's boy doesn't feel like he's been replaced, but that he's your helper with HIS new brother. I also picked out a special gift that the baby brought to the older child.

As for having special time with Connor, it will be really easy at first and the rest will work itself out as you go!

Good luck!!