My precious daughter Katherine is two-years-old.  Previously she was the most perfect child anyone could have asked for--an absolute dream child.  That is until she realized she could use a most powerful word..."NO".  I do want her to express herself and to say no when she could be injured, etc.  What I didn't understand in her quick grasp of language was that she would dare say to me, "NO Mommy."  Ugh!  What happened to my little sunshine?  The toddler years have now begun.  We consistently train and discipline Katherine and after she misbehaves she receives her punishment.  Then she says to us that she is sorry.  We hug and redirect her behavior.  She is still a charmer but now we understand that she has likes and dislikes like us.

Our routine is as follows:

1. Katherine wakes up earlier each day in order to wake us up and tell us that she needs a diaper change and nummies
2. we read our Bible verse for the month while getting her ready for the day and sing Jesus Loves Me and the Alphabet Song
3. I get her cereal, yogurt, and fruit for breakfast
4. I anxiously await my first cup of coffee
5. Katherine watches Baby Channel programs of Harry the Bunny, Squeek, and The Numbers Farm and I ask her questions about what she sees and we sing the songs together
6. we play outside and water the plants and discuss how God created the earth
7. Katherine gets sleepy and I rejoice as she takes her "night night"
8. this is my time to have breakfast and more coffee while I work around the house
9. Katherine gets up and tells me she is hungry again so she gets snacks--cereal bars, cheese sticks, and fruit leather
10. we play inside with her dolls and talk about how to take care of her babies
11. lunch time arrives and we enjoy whatever our leftovers were the night before
12. Katherine takes a two-hour nap and I feel ambitious enough to work on the computer non-stop
13. we watch Hola Bebe on Baby Channel and learn Spanish and dance to the music
14. Katherine plays by herself or does crafts until she needs my help while I read (next to her)
15. I get dinner ready (or order pizza)
16. Daddy arrives and we all enjoy group hugs all around
17. We pray and eat dinner together
18. Katherine and Daddy play together while I clean up
19. We start our night-time routine of taking medicine, brushing teeth, dressing for bed, and reading a story
20. We all kneel at her bed and pray for others and say goodnight to Katherine

Since writing this routine; Katherine has been gathering her dollies and spending time praying with them and singing Jesus Loves Me--no wonder Jesus said, "Let the children come to Me..."  She has such a heart to know Jesus even at 2 1/2 years old!

 

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