Creature of Habit

Aug 3, 2009 by cafebebemama

My daughter is such a creature of habit! It’s amazing the routines we have acquired considering I shun routines for the most part. But my Little Miss loves to have her patterns and it’s obvious that routine is what makes children happy; it reassures them; it comforts them. Would you like to know some of Little Miss’ routines?

Morning Routine: Daddy gets up with Little Miss during the week (thank you Daddy!) and they have the same routine every morning. They go downstairs, put the kettle on and then Little Miss races to the patio door in the lounge to help let out “Sinji” (our much-beleaguered, 12 year old black lab). She watches while he goes outside, makes a “bluck” sound if he does a poo and does a little happy dance in place when he comes back to the door to be let in. Little Miss helps Daddy by closing the door (while he holds her) and then it’s “bickie” time. Little Miss chants, “bickie, bickie, bickie?” until Daddy helps her to give Sinji a bickie or 4. Then it’s time for a bottle and then it’s time for Milkshake on Channel 5. Little Miss doesn’t really WATCH the shows that much but she does ADORE the theme songs. Some of her personal favourites are: Roobarb and Custard, Fifi and the Flowertots, Olivia and most recently Thomas and Friends. She does a little dance, shakes her hips, stops all other activity to snap her head toward the telly and follow the theme song for the 10-15 seconds that it runs. Once that’s done, off she goes!

Getting in the Car: Whenever we get in the car, the following occurs without fail… I place Little Miss in her car seat, she glances up at the roof of our house and shoos away the “dickey birds” (birds). I strap her in, Little Miss calls out repeatedly for “dum dum” (she sounds very French the way she pronounces it…that nasal accent) until she gets it (we do allow dum dum’s in the car) and then she waits until I am in the driver’s seat. Once I’m in place, she brushes her hands together (as if brushing dirt off your fingers) and says “Go, Go”. This is how we have to go anywhere! It makes her happy; who am I to rain on her parade?

Home time for Daddy: When Daddy comes home from work, Sinji goes ape s**t; barking and barking and barking. Little Miss turns quickly to me, says “OOhhh” and rushes round to see the front door. When Daddy opens the door Little Miss does a little happy dance and has THE biggest smile and laugh ever (gee- Thanks my daughter!). She makes kissing noises, races to the gate that separates the lounge from the front hallway and waits for Daddy to come give her a kiss through the bars (he ducks down mind you…we don’t have a floor to ceiling gate! Then Daddy comes in the lounge and Little Miss automatically starts asking for her “shoooes” so that she can go outside. Daddy MUST oblige…even if it’s raining! Then we all get ready and pack Little Miss in her Smart Trike and head to the park where we have another routine!

Park!: Every night we roll down to the park at the end of our road. After arriving in the car park, we proceed around the park, anti-clockwise (mind you, Little Miss doesn’t make us do this but we just do it!) and head for the SLIDE! Little Miss calls out “sllliii” and we have to do at least 4-5 slides on the rather bizarre slide…long and gradual, not steep. Then it’s off to the swings (see picture above) where now, the other baby swing has to have her ball in it so they both can swing at the same time! Then we have to cajole Little Miss into going home…best done quick and quietly but not always successful.

I love the fact that my daughter is a creature of habit, really. It’s a bit easier to plan and very easy to keep her happy. I don’t buy into the ROUTINES that “experts” like Gina Ford recommend but I do love the little routines we have in our household…it makes all of us rather happy!