Each time I tell my husband about an upcoming business trip, he cringes. Then he apologizes. Before I got on a plane this time, he had even calculated the probable number of dirty diapers he would have to change until my return. Yes, business trips can be tough for everyone involved.

But thanks to keeping a routine with my two-year-old son from the day he was born, my husband has a game plan to rely on when Mom is not there. Taped onto our kitchen cabinets (right now as I write this on a plane) are a series of yellow pieces of paper that outline my son’s day: The time he wakes up; eats breakfast; has milk; goes to daycare; has a snack; eats dinner; has more milk; watches a video; takes a bath; and goes to bed. In between, are significant gaps for playtime, reading stories and, yes, countless diaper changes.

Having a routine is probably the best gift new parents could give their children–- and themselves. You will see the payoff in a matter of days or weeks, and it will keep paying off years later. And you will be better rested. My son doesn’t fight bedtime or naptime, leaving Mom and Dad enough time to reenergize.

Family and friends have told me I’m blessed with having an “easy” child who loves to sleep and eat, who is happy and adaptable. That may well be true. But I also know he’s “easy” because, even at such a young age, he knows his little world is a predictable place.

As predictable as, say, at least two dirty diapers a day.

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