I’m getting back into teaching piano in October, and I’m really nervous about it because right now I’m finding that I don’t have time for everything, and that’s without an extra hour a day dedicated to teaching. I figured I’d share my schedule with you and solicit advice about where I can “cut the fat.” Haha.
7 a.m.: Wake up with all three boys. Nurse El Guapo several times since he’s hungry after much sleeping (yay for a good sleeper!). Read to the older boys while nursing. Give everyone hugs. Maybe play with the older boys or try to get El Guapo to smile at all of us. Change several diapers (and sometimes outfits), get dressed, and make sure the older boys go to the bathroom too. Rock El Guapo to sleep.
9:00 a.m. El Guapo is finally asleep. Help/nag the older boys as they get dressed and do their morning chores. Make breakfast. Eat breakfast. Make my bed, do my hair, empty the dishwasher. Check my email and Facebook, etc.
10:00 a.m. It finally feels like the day is beginning. Start one of the projects on my list, such as mopping, dusting, getting groceries, watering/harvesting the garden, helping Lego with homework, cleaning the bathroom, whatever. Showering needs to fit in somewhere in here every other day too.
11:30: Start making lunch. This is often interrupted by El Guapo waking from his morning nap and needing to be fed and changed.
12:00: Lunchtime (hopefully earlier). We usually end up scarfing down our food so we can get out the door on time.
12:25: Leave to take Lego to kindergarten.
12:45: Return from the school. Take a little downtime for a nap or bumming around for about 45 minutes while Duplo plays or draws or watches a cartoon.
1:30: Time for another project, often an errand. El Guapo is usually sound asleep during this time, which makes for much productivity. The only interruption is Duplo wanting me to play with him a bit, which I don’t mind. This is our quiet one-on-one time of the day, after all.
3:00: Leave to pick up Lego from kindergarten. Traffic is often horrible on the way back, so we often don’t return until 3:45 or so.
3:45: The older boys watch a cartoon and I try to pick up the house and get organized for dinner. I sometimes call my mom or sister or someone to chat while they’re occupied.
4:00: Finish up any projects that have remained undone, like folding laundry, doing laundry, doing dishes, clearing up from lunch (yes, hours later!), etc. Help Lego with his homework and talk to him about school.
5:00: Start dinner. Nurse El Guapo. Continue making dinner. Nurse El Guapo. Continue making dinner. Nurse El Guapo.
6:30 or 7:00: Eat dinner.
7:15: Start bedtime routine for the older boys.
8:00: Bedtime for older boys.
9:00: Bedtime for El Guapo (usually).
Phew!
Adjusting to a new baby is difficult, when you have others running around and house hold duties to accommodate. My advice would be to sit down and write out your schedule (ta-da, already done) and then write a new schedule. Start by writing down the things that have a set time, like piano, school, maybe meals and then start fitting things in around those. And write down what has to change for the times to work for you, eliminating snacks, getting dressed before breakfast vs. waiting til you leave the house (my problem), etc. Things might have to be rearranged and you might get the schedule the way you like it, live it for a day or week are realize somethings don’t work. But for me it helps to write down what I want my day to look like and then go from there. I hope that helps somewhat or sparks some ideas. Good luck.