Monday 15 February 2010

Routines and holidays - do they go together?

We're currently staying with Grandma and Grandpa for half-term. This is wonderful for everyone - Rosemary and Eleanor get played with and doted on for a whole week, and Chris and I get to relax more than we can do pretty much any other time. Oh yes, and Grandma and Grandpa get to spend lots of quality time with their granddaughters who live such a long way away.

But... Yes, there has to be a but... Try as we all do, we can't seem to keep the routines going. Saturday night, Rosemary didn't get to sleep until midnight and Eleanor was up loads in the night (though the latter was more down to the 4-month growth spurt). Sunday night, Rosemary almost fell asleep at the dinner table and missed pudding, while Eleanor slept pretty much as normal. Tonight, Eleanor fell asleep about half an hour before (a slightly later) dinner, woke up when it was served, then again about an hour later. Rosemary only got to sleep at 9 o'clock (usually 6.30-7).

We've been trying to keep dinner and bedtime routines as close as possible to normal, but the daytime activities can throw it all off. Rosemary's two late nights both followed a (pretty short) nap in the car in the afternoon. Eleanor's sleep was off when she had to wait until later than usual for her 4 pm feed, or had to have a slightly earlier one.

We need our routine these days (when not on holiday, I mean). Without it, there is no way that we could manage anything remotely close to a full working week. I could maybe scrape by with 10 hours and Chris might be able to manage 20. But we need to do 30 each, and evenings are where we find that time.

I'm curious to know whether anyone ever manages to keep up a routine while on holiday. Or do you just go with the flow and accept that late nights will happen? And how quickly do you get back into the routine afterwards?

12 comments:

  1. Go with the flow. Everything is new and you can't get the routine back until they get back to familiar surroundings.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Being the queen of routine, I keep it going regardless of what we're doing. I do allow the occasional day when things go to pot (missing the lunchtime sleep for example, so we can go out for the whole day) but never on two consecutive days, so it never all falls apart. My children are happier and more settled when they've slept well so I stick to our normal food and nap times, and make sure they're all in bed by 7pm so I can open the wine :)

    I am a complete dictator mother though, and a total control freak. 'Going with the flow' is definitely something other people do!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The few times i've taken my kids away i have failed to keep any routine really.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have a tag for you over at mine and I just kind of go with the flow on holiday

    ReplyDelete
  5. I definitely just go with the flow on holiday - it's surprising how quickly they get back into routine. I usually try and get mine to bed at the usual time on the Saturday night before Monday new term, if you know what I mean. Enjoy the freedom and the extra family time together.

    ReplyDelete
  6. For us when we visit family the jet lag throws us for a loop, so we have really no option but to go with the flow. It takes us a week to get back to normal, but we do.

    I think its fun for the kids to relax and let the rules slide a little on holiday. Plus, if they go to bed late, maybe you can get a lie in!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Because we are so far away, we spend extended times with grandma and grandpa and we manage to get into some sort of routine. But bed time seems to get later and later, and at they get to watch TV in the morning there, which I never let them do at home.

    ReplyDelete
  8. My routine fails miserably any time I don't spend the day at home unfortunately! I think doing fun activties and enjoying ourselves is much more important. I wouldn't want Sam to miss out on anything because he needed to get home for lunch & a nap. If he's tired he'll fall asleep in his pram. He's pretty adaptable so it's not too bad.
    I just get him back in his routine when we come home.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Routine is my life so i always try to keep our routine going wherever we are. I do let it slide but like MTJAM says never two nights in a row because i find it really throws my children off.
    My girls have always been so picky of their bedtimes, getting to the point when they want to go to bed whether i'm ready for them to go or not. But i love the way they know when it's time for bed, it's makes me smile when they ask me to go to bed because they know when they are tired.

    I love my evenings of peace and quiet and if i had to give it up because of a few nights on hoilday i think i would go crazy lol!! I guess i'll be losing my peaceful nights soon anyway when baby boy is here so i will enjoy them as much as i can. xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. I stick to a routine and if the children have a late night or miss a nap I make sure they catch up the next day. But that's more for my sanity than because they need a routine! Either way I've found that when we're back home they fall back into the regular routine regardless, so I don't think it matters too much what happens when you're away. Hope you've had a good week!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I used to stick to routines back when I only had two kids and some energy..... Now it just slides.......

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm yet to experience a holiday with Oli , but we did stay at my Aunties for a couple of nights and Oli slept better then he did at home! He even went to bed at 5pm one night instead of his usual 8pm!!

    ReplyDelete