If you need structure, but you hate structure, I’ve got you

I am a human who KNOWS that she needs order and routine, but the moment things get overly rigid, my demand avoidance kicks in to high gear. A full google calendar can make me feel overstimulated and overwhelmed.

I needed to find a middle ground that helped me… gently plan. A way to set expectations and look ahead without being too rigid.

So I made templates. At our house, we have four different day templates. It helps me know what to plan for, while still being able to switch things up when I want to.

One of the key things that I try to do with the templates is REDUCE DECISION MAKING.
Meals We have 3 “big” effort dinners we always make, and we always make sure we have classics like noodles, nuggets, and pizza on hand when the big dinners don’t work. This helps with grocery shopping, since we’re often relying on the same ingredients over and over again, and meals use similar ingredients.
Play Recognizing the type of play that is high effort vs low effort, preferred or needs more facilitation, and knowing how to prepare for it is key!
Home tasks Knowing what is a MUST do vs a “nice to have” is incredibly helpful for when you’re navigating different needs and energy levels.

Making your template

• Make yourself a list of the kinds of activities your family does regularly, as well as your favourite meals.

• Start with three templates, a high energy day, an average (school/work) day, and a low effort day.

• Add in to each of those what reasonable activities or meals might look like.

• Make a visual representation! We have a version of these below on our fridge and i move a magnet over the kind of day we’re having

Templates aren’t an exact science, they’re whatever your famliy needs. Don’t worry too much about making them “perfect”, and instead, find a way to give yourself the structure that works without boxing yourself it!