Keeping Schedules vs. Getting Out of the House

We have not taken the boys out very much these past nine months because they have been fairly good about keeping their feeding/nap/bedtime schedule. They have only gone to like family gatherings and the grocery (and I can count the number of times on two hands!) Last night we took them to the Relay for Life that my school was hosting. I fed them dinner about 30 minutes early, changed them and we were off.......they did well. Except my Noah cried some when people came closer than he liked. We were there only an hour and a half; got them home 20 minutes past bed time and fed them and put them down. However, on the way home they cried and cried and were overtired by being off just 20-30 minutes.

I know they need to get out some to see what the world is like. I also need to get out for more than just work. They also need to get a little used to seeing other people besides us and my parents. (Noah crying; which he never does; when strangers he did not vibe with came up) But, how do you go about it without being selfish to their needs? In some ways it is not worth it to me to get them a little out of wack for us to go out as a family until they are a little older.

Any suggestions?

 

I know how you feel. It seems like if the girls aren't napping they are having a bottle. If they aren't having a bottle they are having solids. I try to get out between their lunch and their nap and then again after their dinner. They are usually up from 3 pm until about 6:30 when we start bedtime.

It isn't so bad during the week but on weekends when friends want to get together it really stinks that we have to be home by 6:30 at night.

Every now and then we will go out in the afternoon and hope that they nap in their stroller. A few weeks ago we went to the CU spring football scrimmage. It started right at 1 when they usually go down for their nap, but they did ok and took a short nap while we watched the game. We ended up just putting them to bed a little early.

I guess that things will get a little better once they are having less bottles. Until then - I guess just try to find a happy medium. Stick to their schedules most of the time, but don't become a hermit who never goes out. Every now and then they can handle napping somewhere besides their crib.

 

We try to make sure they at least get their afternoon nap at home, but morning is hit and miss. I find that if we are doing somehitng it's best to do it in the morning as they have at least had a night's sleep. If we've been out for a day I try to make the next day an at home one to allow them to get a decent nap.

 

I go out in between naps and try to get out at least one time a day. We keep on schedule during the week for the most part. On weekends we try to maintain their schedule but have baptisms, weddings, etc.. so it gets interrupted. They are usually ok with it and like to be out and don't get too many crying spells.

 

You are not too far off from it getting a little easier to be a little more flexible with their nap schedules and such, because before you know it, they will be down to one! That's when I have always started getting more adventurous and going out more with the older kids.

 

Boy, we didn't have a choice but to have the girls out and about at a very early age. We moved cross-country, had to take them with us during househunting (to young still for daycare) and all sorts of other things.....

They sleep wherever we put them, be it in the swing, carseat, crib, mommies arms... LOL We just made sure to pack enough bottles (usually enough for a full 10 hour day) and diapers in the diaper bag and off we'd go. They'd cry to eat and be changed, then back to sleep they'd go.

The downside of that, is that at 3.5 months, we're still not on any kind of regular schedule, though it is getting more predictable (bedtime between 6-7:30, naps around 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. ) as they get older. I figure they will make their own schedule and we'll just follow suite.

I don't like taking them out a lot becuase it seems to take SO LONG just to get them ready!! One day, I needed to run to work to drop something off (I work nights) and I kid you not, from beginning to end, what should have been a 15 minute trip took 4 hours!! from having to feed them first, get them in their carseats, to work, visiting everyone (okay you all know as well as me that you can't go ANYWHERE with twins and not have to 'visit' with everyone within eyeshot) and then getting back home, out of the carseats and settled back down.....

 

My kids aren't as old as yours but I've been taking them out just to get out of the house ... I always try to leave when it would normally be a time they would nap since they invariably fall asleep in the car, that way thier sleep stays on track. I'd bring bottles with if we were out past their hunger time and a few toys and off we'd go! My kids are pretty good about falling asleep no matter where they are though. I also bring their "nap" blankets and stuffed bunnies to give them when it would be nap time so they associate those with downtime.

 

I know exactly what you mean! We haven't gotten ours out much either especially because of the scare of them gettting RSV. We're just now planning to do more on the weekend. As a matter of fact we just took them to the International Festival today. They did really well! We left right after we fed them at 11, and we didn't get home until 6! They did nap in the stroller while we were there. I think the sun really wore them out b/c they slept while we passed all these live bands with really loud music. They were a little fussy this evening, but they didn't have too much trouble going to sleep. I wouldn't do this every weekend with them, but I think it's important for them to get out and see the world. They stay here at the house with a nanny during the week, so they don't have interaction with many people.

I'd suggest you look for the the time in your day when they are awake the longest, and if you have to be out when they need to nap to choose a time that's usually the shorter nap.

 

Thank you for all the responses. The boys are very good at traveling in the car.....they go to grandma's house everyday when husband goes to work and he brings them home. Just one way is about 30 minutes...so they do sleep in the car. I guess I do need to just bite the bullet more and take them and let it ride. Whatever happens, happens. We always take plenty of food and milk with us where ever we go. I just worry about disrupting them to much. You know you work so hard to get them on the schedule and then to just throw them off seems crazy!

My DH and I are both teachers so we only have 25 more days of work until summer break. We have decided since they are joining a preschool class of six one year olds in August when we go back that we are going to start taking them to the park in the morning a couple of days a week, the library to get books, find a mom/dad and kid gym class or something and start getting them out a little more with as little disruption to their schedule as possible.

I will let you know how it goes.

 

We are about a month younger than you. I've had them out since week 1. With an older active ds, I had no choice. I do time things to make sure nap time is undisturbed. Sometimes that means getting to swimming early so they can nap in the stroller. I think by having them out, they sleep just about anywhere when it's time for their nap. I actually find they sleep better on the go then at home.