5 Tips for Military Families Desperately Needing a Fall Routine

A friend of mine asked me the other day, “it has to slow down, right?”

I sighed and let out a brief laugh as I said, “but it won’t.”

We know military life rarely slows down. Life outside the military doesn’t slow down either! Not only do we demand much of ourselves, but we have external pressures adding stress to our lives.

As military wives, we manage all the things. If there isn’t a deployment looming, there is a move on the horizon. If there isn’t a move, there are anticipated promotions. If there isn’t a promotion, there are seasons of waiting on orders. Before orders get cut, there are enormous lists of what ifs wreaking havoc on our minds.

Things won’t slow down, but we can find ways to navigate busy seasons.

So, the question begs, how do we continue functioning as a real adult person when life won’t slow down?

We must take time to feel grounded. One of the best practices for our family is to find a routine in each season. If you’re a mom you may have heard someone tell you how children thrive in routines, and the same is true for adults, too!

We need even a loose structure to ensure we stay grounded because military life rarely slows down.

Here are 5 tips for creating a fall routine with your military family.

Ask yourself the goal

Because life is busy right now, what might you be missing the most? Do you wish you had time for family dinners together 3x per week? Do you need alone time with your husband in the evenings? Are you desperate for friends in this season? If you had a perfect routine right now, what would it include from week to week? Take time to ask yourself the goal and then slowly adjust your routine to reflect the desired changes.

Get more sleep

No, this doesn’t mean sleeping in. I’m talking about getting to bed earlier. You, your husband, and the kids could benefit from more sleep. This can be a gradual change, especially for the kids. Start by pushing the bedtime routine 15 minutes earlier. Sleep is so important, so don’t ignore this step as you contemplate watching one more episode of your favorite TV show before bed. Which leads me to the next tip,

Cut back on screen time

Screens keep our brains busy, making it harder to think clearly or shut down at night to sleep. This can also be an incremental change. Consider using app time limits on your devices to help keep you accountable!

Get everyone on board

I find it extremely helpful to listen to everyone in the family’s struggles in your current season so you know what areas to work on most. Call a family meeting and ask what everyone wants this fall season to look like and also where they need help. From there, you can put different boundaries in place or add fun activities on the weekends to help boost morale.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead can help prevent feeling behind. Whether you have children’s sports events in the evenings or you and your husband both work full-time while navigating doggie daycare pickup, planning ahead can help you feel grounded. Make a meal plan for the week or invest in a large family calendar for the kitchen. Anything you can do to look ahead and prepare for the next day/week will help reduce those feelings of busyness.

And remember, use these as tools. It will never look perfect, but we are blessed with grace.

“In his graciousness, God gently responded: Don’t you see? I didn’t choose the wrong girl. I’ve had grace planned for you all along.” - Rebekah Lyons, You are Free