Trend setter

I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think I might be a trend setter. When I moved to SLC 3 months into my senior year (GAH...I still have nightmares) I wasn't the most well liked or the most fashionable gal in the school, but I was the only gal in the school who wore ankle socks (thank you east coast). That's right, everyone else was wearing mid calf tube socks! The horror! I was appalled. I was embarrassed for my fellow gals. But, after coming to school showing off my 110 pound 5 foot long legs, they caught on and tube socks went out the window. True story. Ahem.

Anyway, fast forward 5 years and 2 of my fellow mom friends have told me that I inspired them and made their homes happier places! One was inspired by my bedtime and the other by my eating routine during the day.

Let me explain bedtime first.

I put my kids to bed at 7. Ever since Elyse was a toddler bedtime has been at 7. No ifs. No Ands. No butts (see what I did there?) I rarely have kids come out of their room, they know that 7 is bed time and I'm off duty. We often will even put them down at 6:30 if the need is there. I know so many people who let their kids stay up until 8, 9 and even 10! This is crazy to me! Kids need sleep, and yes my kids get up early but they have to get up early anyway so I may as well get some peace at night. Amen!

This has saved my life. Literally. And the life of my kids. Literally. There were times I may have killed them had they been up any later. The time that I have in the evening to myself and with Cannon has been beyond amazing.

I have to admit though that since Elyse turned 12 last month we have had to reluctantly let her stay up until 8, but that didn't happen until she asked about 2 weeks ago. The time with her has been nice though since the dynamic is so different when the boys aren't around.

A word of advice when implementing this new routine. Just say NO! Don't give in to that last drink, or that snack. Be mean and heartless. Or, you could just stick to your guns and remember that you are the BOSS!

On to the food.

The food we buy ain't cheap. (side note: When we lived in NYC we would shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods once a week and since there were 2 health nuts, 1 health source and 1 whole foods within 10 blocks of me it was no big deal to run and grab stuff when we needed it. But in SC the nearest health food store is 25 minutes away, not to mention we are now on a mega budget.) So when we would find our pantry bare after 2 days I was fed up! The kids were getting up at 6, eating breakfast and by 8 they were on their second meal! So I said enough! No matter what time they wake up absolutely no food until 7, snack at 10:30 which I dole out, lunch at 12:30, snack at 3:30 and dinner at 5:30-6. We rarely deviate from this plan and as such our grocery trips are 1 week apart with no panicking in between. Strict? Yes. Does it work? YES!

Remember, your kids won't starve! There are kids who eat one meal a day and survive. A snack is a snack and not a meal....it is meant to tide them over until their next meal. An apple and some nuts will suffice. Half a granola bar and half an apple is great!

I hope that this helps someone out there!