What Works for Us: Table Time

Our routine has stabilized a lot in the couple of months. The last months of my pregnancy and the first months of Sven's life really threw a wrench in our normally well-ordered family life. But we've settled into a new normal and I am loving it.

One of the things that we have re-introduced to our daily schedule is table time. It isn't that complicated but I was talking to a neighbor about it and she said I should write about it on the blog. Apparently, she thought it was a brilliant idea. So here I am, writing about it on the blog.

Table time is pretty self-explanatory. The short version is this: during table time, the boys play at the table. That's it.

This is the long version: When our family comes inside from an afternoon out in the yard, I need to nurse the baby and make dinner. Soren and Carl can choose what they want to do but I choose where they do it: at the table. They can draw, play with puzzles, play games, or use play dough, so long as they do it at the table. Mostly they choose to draw. And if Sven is finished nursing, he enjoys sitting in his bouncer and watching them. When their dad comes home, Soren and Carl clean everything up and get ready for dinner.

Table time is very peaceful. I love it and the boys have never complained about it so I can only assume that they enjoy it, too. Both of them love to make things out of paper so they often opt to stay at the table even after I tell them they can leave. They sometimes ask their dad to come color with them when he gets home. (Scott usually just writes Chinese characters.) After a long day of activity, it is so nice to have everyone together and peaceful for a little while.

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