My DD is huge on planning. She always wants to know what we are doing and when. She comes by it honestly since I am the same way. I always want to know what my day is going to look like and if possible, my week. Every day we go through a routine of me telling her what we are doing and her repeating it back to me throughout the day. For example, today was, "First we are going to eat breakfast. Then, we will get dressed and go to the doctor (they're sick). After the doctor, we have to go to the store to get your medicine, then we will come home and play for a while. Then, you will eat lunch, take a nap, and can play some more when you wake up. Tonight Mommy has to go to church for practice (I direct the drama team) and you will stay home with Daddy and watch movies. When Mommy gets home, we'll eat dinner and then it will be bedtime." It always amazes me when I give her a list like this and she repeats it back to me perfectly after hearing it once. In the middle of the day, she'll even start where we are in the list and tell me the rest. Many times, the list is even busier! She's also pretty good with handling changes to the plan. I just have to let her know or else she'll be telling me we are doing something wrong and we were supposed to be doing such-and-such next. So, am I the only one with a planner? Is my kid weird or do other kids do this, too. My DS could care less most of the time. But, I do often hear DD telling him what is going to happen next.
Sarah is exactly like that. We recently traveled home from my parents' house, and for the whole day before we left, she was reciting, "We will drive to the airport. Then we will get on a tram and then on a plane. Then we will go to Chicago and I will put my pajamas on! [She was really excited about that part.] Then we will get on another plane to Denver and then we will take a shuttle bus to the parking lot and then we will get in our car and drive home. And I will be sleeping in the car and you will carry me to my bed." :ibiggrin: She also likes to keep track of the days of the week and predict what will happen over the next few days. For instance, this morning she informed me that on Saturday we would have eggs for breakfast -- because today is Thursday and we had Cream of Wheat, and tomorrow is Friday which is Daddy's day and he always makes oatmeal, which means on Saturday it would be eggs. Cracks me up.
DD is not that detailed in the replay of the day but if you tell her we are going to do something she doesn't forget. Also I am always keeping her abreast of any changes to the plan. She does better when you keep her informed. At dinner we talk about what she did that day and if she had fun. I always like the unprompted "I had fun today mommy." DS usually in his only concerned with his truck or Thomas train. I try to get him to talk about the day but he doesn't verbalize things the way DD can yet so I guess he'd rather not bother with it right now. I wish I had that kind of memory now...I can't remember what I wore yesterday. Lindia
