Family Routines and Quiet Time

Routines add an important rhythm to daily life. They provide structure that's filled with activities, but scheduling family quiet time is just as important. With a new baby, you'll have to adopt a new routine. Just make sure it includes family quiet time.

Quiet Time

Your family's life can't be put on hold just because there's a new baby in the house. Social gatherings, sporting events and school and work days will still go on. This is why families need quiet time together. Set up some simple rules and enjoy.

  • Create a time-after lunch, after dinner or on the weekend-to take a break from life.
  • Choose a time when everyone's home.
  • Use the time for relaxing, meditating or even napping.
  • Each person should find his or her own quiet thing to do.
  • Interaction is not necessary.
  • This time can be spent being creative-writing, drawing, etc.-or just resting.

Ideas for Quiet Time Rules:

  • Turn off all computers.
  • Turn off all TVs.
  • No video games.
  • No telephones or faxes.
  • No radios.
  • No electronic or battery-operated toys or games.
  • If you need to talk, only whispering is allowed.

Your Family's Daily Routine

Fitting family quiet time into your daily routine can be a very enriching experience for your family. Each morning when you get up, do you have your own personal ritual that helps you face the day? Without your morning routine, you may feel like you forgot something.

The ideal routine for families is one that stays the same from day to day and one that includes family quiet time every day. Here are some suggestions for establishing your own daily routine. Decide what things need to happen in your house every day. Decide on the time and order they'll be done: waking up, getting dressed, eating, doing chores, etc. Do the daily activities usually happen around the same time each day? You may notice that it's just easier to get something accomplished around lunchtime. Maybe you should plan on doing it everyday at lunchtime.

Unfortunately, life has a way of throwing the best routine off balance with appointments, emergencies and unexpected visitors. Is there a chunk of time that can be set aside for flexible, unplanned last-minute kinds of things?

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