How to survive the weekend (with no routine)

You can still be relaxed on the weekends as long as you go in with a plan. What should be the biggest part of your plan?

Creating routines on the weekend that look and feel like fun but are really a continuation of those weekly routines!

Because you're creating weekend specific routines that you'll only be doing once a week at first, it will take some time for the kids to get into the new groove, especially if they already have busy schedules during the week.

Don't give up! Usually after weekend number three they will get the idea and fall into step.

If you do nothing else on the weekend, keep your bedtime routines intact.

It doesn't even necessarily matter what time you start them but as long as you're doing the bedtime routine, everyone will wind down just fine like they do during the week.

So what kind of weekend specific routines can you create? Here are some fun ideas that can be tweaked to the event/season/holiday

Make every Saturday morning a special breakfast time. You can switch up the special meal each week or you can say every Saturday it's pancake time or French toast time.

The point is to replace the during-the-week morning routine with something else so the kids know what to expect.

It's a great idea to plan a weekly date and having it on the same night each week helps the kids feel the security that comes with routine. Let them get pizza every Saturday night and expect that mom and dad will be gone.

Sunday mornings need a routine, so if you don't attend church or a place of worship, it's a great time to have a weekly outing.

Maybe it is a hike or a trip to the park, but making Sunday mornings an "out of the house" time is a great way to continue your morning routine on the weekend.