Kids, Schedules...Chaos

People have always emphasized the importance of organization and schedules when it comes to children. This is super great in theory. And even mastered by many. God bless them – I tip my hat to them. Because when you throw together a 1 year old, a 3 year old and a 7 year old – I barely keep my sanity much less a schedule.

Maybe it’s just me. But my girls are all different. They have different temperaments, different likes and dislikes and are on different schedules. My oldest is in bed by 9 and she is gone all day. My 3 year old is full of energy, never wants to eat anything, likes to beat up her baby sister, and doesn’t want to share a toy at all…and so on and so on. The baby likes to do nothing but eat when she can. She is a chunky monkey. She also doesn’t nap well because if she takes even an hour nap, she never wants to go to bed at night. But try to keep a 1 year old awake all day and tell me how that turns out.

Basically my life is blissful chaos. And most days I am okay with this because I know it will all be over in the blink of an eye. And despite sleep deprivation, I know I will miss these days.


Saying all this – I think I have found the source to most of my problems anyway. I believe it’s the television I let my kids watch. I really thought about it, and realized that Disney Jr. and Nick Jr. are the reasons why my kids are crazy ;)!

Just think about it:

Dora the Explorer – She teaches my kids to go off on their own all the time. To hang out in the woods where a known thief lives (Swiper…hello!)

Max & Ruby – These kids are basically orphans. They are showing my kids that it’s okay for a 10 year old bunny to be in charge and have no parents around. And that she can rule over her little brother and tell him what to do and put all her needs before his.

Go Diego Go – Diego and his sister have basically been abandoned in the jungle somewhere. And they teach the kiddos that it’s okay to approach tigers and lions and a gator or two. These animals are our friends they say…no Diego NO! LOL

The Backyardigans – My kids go outside, close their eyes and think they will end up on Neptune or in the Sahara Desert. And they get pretty PO’ed when it doesn’t work out that way!

The Fresh Beat Band – It teaches my kids that it’s okay to be annoying. And I am just not down with that ;) LOL

Yo Gabba Gabba – Do I really need to elaborate on this one??

Miss Spider’s Sunny Patch – It teaches my kids that it’s okay to adopt bugs. Miss Spider adopted every darn bug in the meadow! But it's not o!. Stop bringing bugs in the house, kids!!

Doc McStuffins – Lammy always wants a cuddle…to the point where it gets a little disturbing and uncomfortable for me. And my kids started putting Band-Aids on their soccer balls, baby dolls and bath toys. And then they got scared that the toys would come to life while they were sleeping. And then I got scared that maybe they actually would ;)

Gaspard and Lisa – Teaches the kids that people that live in France speak English. And that’s just wrong! So so wrong!!

Mickey Mouse Club House – Teaches the kids it’s okay to go into some random mouse’s secret club house. Need I say more?

Sofia the First – She makes you believe you really can be a princess. You get your hopes all up – and then you are let down! I really thought I could be a princess if I just believed darn it!! LOL (But in truth, every girl is a princess.)

So it’s not my fault that I live in chaos. It’s these TV shows corrupting our youth.

But on a serious note, I do have to tell myself time and again that there are no perfect parents. We do implement schedules and rules - and sometimes we fail. Bedtime is not always a sweet drift into dreamland. Mostly it’s fighting, arguing, bribing...you get the picture. But we do our best. And at the end of every very long day...that is really all we can do.
Now shhhhh...the kids are finally sleeping ;)