By Shannon Earl
While preparing for the birth of my first child I remember thinking very hard about what I was going to do to ensure we got good sleep once he was born. Surely, some of you parents can relate. I read all the sleep books, watched the videos, bought the swaddles and the sleep sacks, even took a class where we learned how to use them. Goodness! I learned all about how important it was to establish a good bedtime routine and committed myself to do just that.
And, good grief. Talk about a routine: bath, music, swinging, sound machine, swaddle, rocking, shushing, walking….what did we NOT do to try and make this kid sleep? Were we crazy? It was quite the process. Much of the time it worked and he slept. Heaven! Other times, not so much. Ugh. Sometimes, after a long or hard day, just the routine itself was exhausting.
But I had read somewhere that if you establish a good, enjoyable bedtime routine then it impresses upon the child the idea that sleep is good, a JOY even, and that will carry over into those years when they decide that they would rather stay up playing with Mom and Dad. Basically, if you convince them that sleep is fun then they won’t fight you so much when they start having their own opinions. Ha!
So that’s what we did. Night after night we did the same things over and over. Of course, the routine had to change a bit as they got older. I mean, what two year old is gonna let you swaddle them?? But in general, I was adamant that we keep the routine going, no matter how much it changed. And now, years later my kids still don’t fight me about going to bed. Would they rather stay up sometimes? Of course. And do we let them sometimes? Sure thing. But man, how glad I am that we stuck with it and established those routines when they were little. I know that it is something that will serve them well as they grow up and go out into the world. Not just the good sleeping habits but also those habits of establishing and following good routines.
Because routines don’t just make getting things done easier. They don’t just make us feel like we are productive. Establishing good routines can help us YEARS down the road.
Having a daily or weekly workout routine can help us years from now with our cardiovascular health, our strength and endurance, even our mental well-being. Having a routine of regularly cooking and eating at home not only saves us money, but can improve our digestive health, provides the opportunity to eat only the things we WANT to put into our bodies, and gives us more time to build and enjoy relationships with those we love. Establishing a routine of reading books on a regular basis can make us more knowledgeable, improve our imagination, and keep us off of all those harmful screens.
One of the things I appreciate most about routines is that, once established, I don’t have to THINK about them. It becomes almost like muscle memory. Have you ever gotten to the end of a shower and realized you have no idea if you washed your hair? How could that happen? Because it’s part of the ROUTINE. You just get in there and get it done. You don’t have to think about what comes next because you’ve been doing it the same way for years. That’s what a good routine can do for you. Not only does it help you in the moment but it opens up time and mental bandwidth to think about other things. You end up having more ability to be intentional about other things that need your attention. It’s….relaxing.
Sometimes we balk at things like routines, schedules, goals, lists, organization. We want to be FREEEEEE, like the butterfly, no rules, no constraints, no boundaries! And certainly, there is a time and a place for that. But I think what gets missed a lot in those moments is that boundaries can actually be kind of liberating. Knowing what and where the boundary is and knowing what you can expect is freeing. It makes us feel safe. Relaxed.
Much like our Lord does. Seriously, what would our faith be without boundaries? Is running around, not knowing which end is up, what God really wants for us? Our Lord is true and just and ordered. He establishes boundaries for us for a reason. That reason is not to punish us, but instead to free us. He wants us to enjoy life, to feel safe, to relax in His love and provision.
Psalm 16:5-9 says this:
“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.”
Doesn’t it follow that living a life of intention and order, trusting God to provide the freedom we crave within some boundaries, some rules, some….ROUTINES, is vitally important?
So, as we look ahead towards whatever it is that may be in front of us, let’s purpose to establish some good, freeing, and powerful routines in our lives and in our families. And let’s also remember to set the Lord always before us and not be shaken. Because I mean, I don’t know about you, but a glad heart, a rejoicing being, and a secure dwelling are definitely all on my Christmas list.
May He bless you and keep you always,
Shannon
Shannon resides in the beautiful state of Colorado, with her husband and two sons. She serves as our resident graphic design artist for all of our products and publications and is the primary recipe developer for our home remedies. If you would like to connect with Shannon you can reach out to her at Shannon@sorelledesigns.com
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
