Live or die by the schedule.

I can tell you that having triplets that they only way that we survived is the schedule. We have them all on the same time management plan because I could not even think of each one off doing their own thing as far as time goes. This process all started in the NICU and we just kept it going. When I say schedule I want to impress that everything from food to diapers to sleep to daily routine. This helped us maintain sanity, slip shod at best, but sanity nonetheless. Four years down the road we still stick to it. The kids are in bed by seven each night weekend or holiday the only change in schedule comes during vacation or special night time events like the Fourth of July or Halloween. Those are the special occasions not because it's a privilege for the children to stay up but because that is when those events take place. I assure that the kids are melty and prone to fits and tantrums at least a hour past their bedtime, which is no fun for anyone. In truth the way I hold to the schedule I have been accused of being a tiger parent or helicopter parent and that could not be further from the truth. The children have a large amount of free time to do as they wish albeit in a controlled setting. That being the house and yard, playground, or other places of child friendly environments. That said there is no possible way that I could hover over each child, as it is I am constantly doing a three person head count any time that we are in public. I'm sure that we make quite the sight with me in the lead and my kids all in a duck row behind me unless crossing a street or parking lot then we all hold hands. I am so grateful that I have such wonderful children that follow the rules while out in public. They must always be in sight of me until I tell them otherwise then all bets are off. I have this one park I like cause there is only one entrance same as exit. It makes my life easier cause I plant my self at the entrance and allow the kids free reign. They get to play alone or together as they want. I think we all like having a best friend but nobody fights like siblings. These guys are each others best friends worst enemy and comfort providers. There are times when my wife or I need to run an errand and we will take one kids while the other two stay at home with the other parent, or we split up if all together in public and the change that comes over the kids is pretty drastic. Iris goes all shy and quiet. Bobby gets a little more reserved in action and speak. Where as Cooper tends to turn into  a public speaker. Together all bets are off. I try to feed them at the same time every day which in turn helps the bathroom stay on the same schedule. They sleep  at the same time so they get up at the same time. As long as you have the tent poles of the schedule set at static times the rest is much less difficult to deal with. The only problem I have had with this system is that other people when watching the kids either don't follow the schedule or don't care then wonder why the kids are difficult to deal with.