We Have A Schedule, Now What?

Today was one of my best days in a while with Chase.  I instituted the picture calendar last night and he LOVED it.  When he woke up this morning, okay when I woke up (mentally, not physically) he looked at me and said, "Mommy, where is our calendar thing?"  I quickly planned the first part of our morning, showed the kids, and they immediately began to do the first item on the list - GET DRESSED. It took us a while - but when he was dressed he asked, "Can I take the picture off?"  What a motivator!  The morning ran smoothly and we got out of the house with time to spare for Emma's 3 year check up.  He needed to be reassured that it was for Emma, but he was fine otherwise - especially with the knowledge of a lollipop afterward.

The kids were hungry, so we went to our local amusement park because we have meal vouchers there.,   As we approached the front gates we had this conversation:

Me: "Chase do you want Pizza or corn dogs for lunch?" 
Chase:"Pizza"
Me: "Emma, what about you?"
Emma: "Pizza!"
Me: "After we eat we are only going to ride the train, okay?"
Chase: "Can we ride the Ferris Wheel, too?"
Me:  "Okay, the Ferris Wheel too!"  I agreed as the two rides are right next to one another.

We got our vouchers and headed for the pizza joint.  Chase held my hand and I knew we were going to have a great visit.   Once we got there I went to get our food and I looked down and Chase was gone.  I panicked for a second until I looked at his favorite umbrella table.  It is amazing how he goes directly for his table (which is hard when someone else is sitting there).  When we enter the park he always gets a map and pours over it planning his trip (which he knew what this trip would entail).  He was sitting at the table reading his map.

After eating we headed for the Ferris Wheel.  Emma started crying over spilled water, dropping her cup, Chase sitting where she wanted to blah, blah, blah.  It was clearly nap time.  I told Chase we needed to go home for nap time.  Oh, the devastation.

Chase: "But, you said I could ride the train!!!"Said with big fat tears rolling down his ruddy cheeks.
Me"Oh, honey.  You're right, I did promise you the train."  I realized that although Emma was in meltdown mode with a little bit of cuddling she would settle down.  If he didn't get his scheduled train ride we would be in meltdown mode for HOURS.

It is important that our children learn flexibility, and that sometimes the schedule will have to be changed - but whenever possible for their sake and ours it might be good to stick to the schedule.  As soon as I had Emma cuddled on my lap with her head on my shoulder as we waited for the train to arrive she calmed down.

Chase sat waiting so patiently (he had his intense look on his face that often makes me wonder "What are you thinking about.") until he heard the train.  Oh the excitement, the joy, the smiles on peoples faces as they watched him get all giggly!  I'm glad we stuck to the schedule!

Fast forward to bedtime.  We don't really need the picture schedule for the evening, but he requested it.  More so that he could take off the pictures when he was done putting on his PJ's, brushing his teeth, read a book, go to bed!  I tucked him in bed with his sleeping bag, square blanket (he's had since birth), Cars blanket, his fathers Chiefs fan throw blanket, and finally his trains weighted blanket.  I swear that kid is going to sweat to death - but he surprises me.  A few minutes later he comes running out the bedroom door.

Chase: "Mommy, Mommy, we forgot to take the bed time picture off."  He says with near panic in his voice.
Me: "Okay, you know where it is, go take it off."  I say as I am cleaning something off in the sink.
Chase: "I did it, Good night Mommy."  And he runs back into his room and crawls under his mountain of blankets.  Within minutes he is asleep.

I am now alone, revisiting the day and thanking the idea of creating a picture schedule that was suggested to me two years ago by his preschool teacher - wishing I had tried it earlier!

In This Series

Creating A Sensory Diet - Intro
Creating a Daily Schedule
We Have a Schedule, Now What?
Finding The Trouble Zones