As summer approaches I'm looking forward to changing up our regular routines. With three kids I've found myself relying more and more on routines and enjoying it less and less.

We have a get-ready-for school routine, a bedtime-routine. We also have a get-ready-for-class routine, a meal prep routine, a get-ready-for-a-playdate routine, cleaning routines, and so many more. Some days it feels like I'm just switching from one routine to the next. And it gets very monotonous.

Routines do help me make sure we have water bottles and packed lunches when needed. A change of clothes and a snack when needed. And routines do help the day run smoothly. But, sometimes these routines make it more difficult for me to see how much our kids are growing and changing.

I've gotten so stuck into these routines that I haven't changed them very much over the past year. A year when our kids have grown rapidly and are capable of much more independence. I now have two kids who can keep track of their favorite clothes, books and toys (and all the little pieces that come with them). And two kids who can deal with the natural consequences when these items go missing.

Yes, the days run more smoothly when I am the one who prepares the snacks, gets clothes organized, locates the shoes and fills the water bottles the night before. But it also means that I have less time for the spontaneous game of Uno. Less time to read a pile of books to our kids. And less time to bake cookies together. I'm sure there will be ups and downs as we figure out a new routine for the summer, but I'm looking forward to giving our kids a bit more responsibility and freeing up my own schedule for a bit more spontaneity.