9.23.2016
Morning & Night Routine with Baby? Reader Q&A
Our week of reader Q&A's conclude with today's question from Akila, who asks about my morning and nighttime routine with baby. I shot these videos in mid-August right before the children went to school, so I have had time to let my routine sink in. It is working well for us and we are now in a lovely rhythm. In the video, I mention I was experimenting with getting up at 6am with the baby, but that has shifted lately to 6:30am as every precious drop of sleep I get is needed! As I start to get more sleep, I will revert back to 6am.
Another change, since the girls have started school, is that I no longer need to work at night, as I did during the summer. I can get my work done during the day so my nights are free to read or watch a film. This demonstrates how routines with children will change with the seasons...
I hope you check out my video this week. If you are unable to see the video above, click here,look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur
I always enjoy answering your questions, it's one of my favorite things to do on the blog! Especially because it opens up the discussion in the comment section and I love reading what you have to say. Thank you to everyone who submits questions to me. Hopefully yours will be answered in the next Q&A segment.
Mentioned in this week's video**:
Pamela Druckerman's Bringing Up Bebe
The devotional I read to my children at night: Our Daily Bread: 365 Meaningful Moments with God (We love reading a page from this book every night. It's become a meaningful tradition.)
Comments of the Week
Nadege writes:
Jennifer, I look forward to every single one of your videos. Funny story - I have a chronic illness, some days peeling myself from the bed takes a tremendous amount of work. Well, on Monday I woke up in a great deal of pain. So feeling quite sorry for myself, I decided that the day was lost and may as well be a slothfest. I went into my closet and reached for my clean yet threadbare and totally unpresentable sweats and t- shirt. Then it hit me like a lead ballon that after watching your closet tour, I had again reviewed my closet and THREW AWAY all items that would embarrass me . I cussed under my breath (so not chic) at my beautiful and tidy closet and pulled out a lovely dresses. In the spirit of the book "If you give a mouse a cookie", seeing how nice I looked in my dress, thought a little bit more effort ought to be made.
I fixed my hair, hmm, might as well fix my face (looking even more put together), said a prayer of gratitude and began my day feeling and looking much better.
Needless to say, making that effort to look respectable must have had a psychological affect on me. Though I was still experiencing pain, my mindset had changed and my spirit was lifted. To top it off, my neighbor decided to stop by without notices - yet I didn't have to pretend I wasn't home.😇
Nadege, I applaud you for adopting such a positive attitude in the face of a chronic illness. You are truly inspiring!
Debra writes:
Dear Jennifer--
This comment is going to be rather long, but I've been thinking about it for some time and your post today re: Caleb and clothes for dirty jobs inspired me to finally respond.
Most of us look to our mothers and other female relatives/friends for inspiration, but the real style icon in our family was my father. He was a big believer in quality and always looking your best. Although he worked in dirty, dusty potato warehouses and grain elevators (he was a USDA inspector), he never wore jeans, instead always neat work trousers and a collared button-down shirt, and always, always a fedora-style hat (felt in the winter, straw in the summer). He owned two pair of quality work boots that were polished and conditioned on a regular basis and taken to the shoe shop for repair and resoling as needed. I still have several of his Pendleton wool shirts that are of such quality and were so well taken care of that they look nearly new. On weekends when he was able to ditch the work clothes and dress up for church and nights out, he maintained a small quality wardrobe of classic midcentury suits and sportcoats, adding a dash of personality with ties and pocket squares and essentials such as a handkerchief and roll of breath mints in the pocket. :-) He was truly our example for presenting ourselves neatly and appropriately, whether we were in a warehouse or a chapel.
Thank you for addressing such unusual situations as Caleb's, as well as everything else you do for your readers. It is truly a pleasure to follow your blog and I refer to all the Madame Chic books often and recommend them to friends. Best wishes for continued success!
Warmest Regards,
Debra
Dear Debra, I just loved reading about your stylish father. Thank you for sharing your fond memories of him with us.
I truly enjoyed this week of reader Q&A's. Thank you to everyone who submitted questions to me. If you have any questions, be sure to leave them below and I might address your question in a future video. I would also love to hear about your morning and night routine and how they have changed as the season has changed.
See you on Monday!
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Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI would like to share about my night time routine. Growing up the only person in my family to have a night time routine was my father, and it simply consisted of setting up the automatic coffee maker so he'd have coffee to drink on his way to work. All of us would toss our clothes on the floor (my father had a valet stand) and climb into unmade beds when we got tired. I am married and have a toddler with another little one on the way now and I was so overwhelmed by life that a few months ago I started to implement a before bed routine for the first time in my life. I actually made it a check off list so that I could see when I succeeded in my calendar.
My list is as follows:
-Set the temperature and close the curtains.
-Put my child to bed.
-Make lunch for my husband.
-Empty the sink and start dishwasher.
-Take out the trash and recycle.
-Lay out tomorrow's clothes.
-Start a load of laundry.
-Brush teeth/wash face/put on pajamas.
-Drink a glass of water.
A couple of times over the last few weeks I have thought quietly to myself, "I'm not going to bother with the list tonight I'm tired." Only to say, "Well maybe I'll just do this before bed..." And next thing I know my one thing turns into the complete list!
Mornings run so much smoother when I've gotten ready for them the night before. My husband has had clean nice clothing for work since I started and hasn't had to run to Burger King for lunch. Additionally, I don't feel as if the day has conquered me before it's started.
~Kathleen
I have a set routine that I follow every morning in a specific order. It makes things so much easier, especially if I don't feel well or have slept poorly the night before. I can still get everything done, because I can accomplish my tasks on autopilot. A few of my "tasks" involve taking time for me while I can, like exercising, meditating, and getting dressed. I think it's important to ensure that your own needs are taken care of, too -- not only your family's.
ReplyDeleteOne task that I no longer have to do is set out my clothes the night before. Since I implemented the 10 item wardrobe, I no longer stand in front of the closet wondering what to wear. I check the weather, reach in and pull out clothes that suit the conditions and what I'm doing that day, and no matter what I pick, I know that it will look good together and will be attractive.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI don't have a set routine anymore as my cherub is now a teen and only requires verbal nudging into bed during the school term. Weekends and holidays we are more lax.
So now our evening routine after dinner consists of any one of the following
Reading a book
Watching a movie with hubby
Chatting with daughter (if she's not already occupied chatting to friends on her phone)
Soaking in a bath
Life with teenagers isn't all bad ;)
I must also add that like mimimanderly, since implementing the 10 item wardrobe a few year ago, I no longer need to think about what I'm going to wear to work the night before. Putting together an outfit is so easy.
ReplyDeleteI love getting a glimpse into another person's (more orderly) life. This may actually be my favorite video to date! I have two daughters, a 2.5 year old and an almost 7 month old, and my husband and I both work full time, 8-5. Daycare is close to my office, so I take them and pick them up. I leave at 7:30 in the morning and don't get home until 5:30-5:45 in the evenings. Then we still have to cook dinner (thankfully, my husband can usually get that started since he beats us home), clean up, and do the girls' nighttime routine. By the time we get them in bed, my husband and I are exhausted. Mornings are rushed. Weekends are a whirlwind of catching up on chores, errands, grocery shopping, church, and often some socializing. We're not miserable by any stretch, but we are tired! I know part of the craziness is just this season of life with two young, highly dependent children, but I'm still curious how you'd address this yourself with some degree of poise and calm.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for answering my question!
Hearing about your wonderful habits and discipline with your home life is so motivating. I am currently working on my own morning and nighttime routines and working on a capsule wardrobe, and you have provided great reinforcement for me.
Your other posts have answered most of my other questions already, but I would definitely love to get updates on your routines over the coming months and find out more about your hair routine.
Your current video (Getting Ready when it's 'One of those Days') is one of my favourite videos! Most of us can have discipline, poise etc. when things are going smoothly, but when times are more challenging, finding the energy and mental drive to push forth is something that not everyone can accomplish. I would love more videos like that one--very relatable and inspiring!
Thanks again!
Akila V. from Toronto
(I will be writing an article on my experience with the item wardrobe soon, on my blog 1000waystohelptheworld.com. Will keep you posted!)
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experience of life with a new baby. I would love to hear further thoughts from you on how to smoothly adjust in life after having another child, coping with the fatigue that mothering brings, and keeping a sense of peace and happiness in the home. You have been a huge source of inspiration to me and have impacted my life very much. I am drawn especially to your peaceful and cheerful demeanor. Thank you for all that you have been sharing.
Sincerely,
Hannah