Scheduling is a major part of raising a kid. But throw more than one kid in the mix and a schedule can make or break your sanity.

Our daughter was very compliant and on a schedule – thrived on one, set one very early for herself and has made little to no change to it since then.

We praise her often for her skills to be so manageable. (That stuff matters, a lot.)

But our son? Although also compliant and very happy … the kid did not schedule himself, nor take to one for a very long time.

We just went with our daughters schedule since the rest of the house was already timed to it, we figured he would catch on.

We’re still waiting for that to happen.

His schedule has changed, what little of one was in place, that now if he naps – he’d like to do it smack dab in the middle of school pick up time – which means if he does crawl in bed and fall asleep, I’m waking him up 30 minutes later to get in the car.

So we’ve changed the name of nap time to quiet time. Now he has to be in his room for about an hour after lunch – and he can play and talk and sing all he wants – but alone time we need. And it erases the frustration over him not sleeping at all when, Hello!! THAT IS WHAT YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

We’re much happier creatures, albeit more tired … but bed time goes smoother because the kid cannot keep his eyes open and everyone wins.

My daughter? Still naps. For 2 hours every day she’s not in school. She is amazing, the perfect child, I’m aware. When she sleeps … he most definitely sleeps as well. And for now … it works.