Are you a routine parent?

[Angeldelight50]

I am a routine parent through and through. Nap times, bed times, meal times. It can be restrictive but I find it works for us.

On the flip side of this, I have friends who are absolutely no routine parents. Out for late dinners with toddlers, 2 year olds up past 11pm, no morning routines.

I find it so interesting as spending even a weekend/holiday like this has me floored! Although I am sure the non routine parents find me absolutely boring.

My question is, how do non routine kids adapt to formal settings like nursery/school? I know kids are adaptable so perhaps they take like a fish to water, I’m just curious!

So many interesting replies! Obviously there is no right or wrong here. Both sides will definitely have their ‘quirks’ that irritate the other.

Having said that I have never cancelled on a friend because of nap time.. there’s always a tactical car nap to be had. Although dinner at 9pm with toddlers is a hard no from me😅.

I agree with a PP that night owls are just as productive and it’s a societal structure to be up with the larks, but I guess that was my point. As a society we are generally structured to have a 9-5 routine, so I wondered how that translates to the free spirits 😁.

We have a loose routine but it's not rigid and can change at the weekends .
For example in the week he generally naps around the same time and dinner about 6ish and bed time falls between 8 and 9. But at the weekend he may have a mega long nap and then bed time might be 10.30pm and he's up later the next day.
It all depends, I try and follow how he is that day. Some days he's much more tired than others so tend to work around that.
He's 2 so we tend to go out in the mornings and do something eg soft play or stay and play and then after nap time we do some playing and the park or activities.

Yes, routine. School is at 8 am so fixed bedtime. One late night because of girl guide meeting.
Weekends and holidays not so much but not staying up very late.