Routine Is Great

My daily routine has changed since the 5-year-old went back to school. The arrangement that we had last year has altered and instead of me just whooshing him out the door by 8.30am, now all 3 of us (2 boys and myself) leave the house by this time.  Thanks to one of my sisters we have a lift to the school and after we’ve dropped the eldest boy off, I walk home with the small boy. It’s quite a distance and he’s not strong enough to walk it all by himself yet so I bring the buggy with me.

Monday-Thursday mornings are quietest, once the school rush is over we trundle up the road in near perfect stillness with just a few trucks and buses passing us by. Sometimes I jog with the buggy as the 2-year-old loves the feel of wind on his face and says it feels like flying.

We’ve started going to the allotment again now that the 2-year-old isn’t so prone to streaking across the fields at the first chance he gets. My little shadow stays beside me and mimics what I’m up to. His awe at everything new thing he comes across fills me with wonder. Last week another plotholder generously shared their beautiful apples with us. No sooner had I picked one from the branch than he was munching into the red juicy flesh and telling me it was “blásta” (‘tasty’ in Irish).

The new routine is forcing me to get out of the house, into the fresh air, and I’m spending far more time outdoors this Autumn than I did over the now fading Summer. In the past week alone, I’ve walked 42.5km which is just over the distance of a full marathon. I’m using muscles that have been dormant for far too long and most evenings involves a battle with pain from some old injuries. As I continue to carefully strengthen my muscles I’m feeling the better for it.

I realise that this has come at a time when we have been blessed with what you could call an “Indian Summer” and perhaps it might be hard to sustain it when the rains come. Establishing a new habit doesn’t take 21 days according to urban myth, it takes on average 66 days! While it would be ideal from a habit-forming point of view if the weather stayed this way for the next 66 days, I’m keeping my rain jacket and waterproofs on standby so that I won’t be deterred.

This time with the small man is precious and the change in routine has led to me being able to invest in more quality time in him. I’m regretting not altering my routine sooner but I’m grateful for the chance to change now.