Routine gone haywire?

Have you ever felt like you have so much on your mind, so much to tell the world, yet there are no words forming in an understandable order?  I pretty much have been feeling like that lately.  How many times did I open the blog page to write something, just to close it again and go and do something else.  Well I'm still feeling like that, but will try anyway.


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Play Therapy update:
I have received confirmation from the play therapist this morning that Kiddy#1 no longer needs play therapy as she adjusted well to her new school and environment now.  I am so relieved.  Kiddy#2 on the other hand has not yet adjusted to her new school and the bigger class and will continue her sessions.  A new teacher started recently whom she absolutely adores.  She does seem much happier and seems to be making progress.  She has made one friend, but does not always feel like playing with her (or anyone else for that matter).  I'm hoping to find a way of encouraging her to play with the friends in her class more.  I have mentioned this to the teacher yesterday who will hopefully also give it some thought.

Routine:
We had such a nice routine going before Granny came to visit at the end of last year.  For a chance it felt a bit like we had things under control and 'knew what we were doing' (is that even possible with pre-schoolers?  I might have been in denial!!).  However, since the Christmas season and going back to school/work, things haven't been like that again.  Yes, they do go to bed the same time every night, they do get supper more or less the same time every night, etc., but I'm missing something.  Maybe the play time we used to have where all four of us just had half an hour of fun together.  It seems like evenings are such a rush to get everything ready for the next day and to get the girls fed and in bed on time that we are missing that important part of our day.  Yes, of course we still spend time with them, but it is in-between doing other things.  I think it is time to rethink our routine and just stick to what we know worked for us last time.  It is easier said than done, but something which is very important for us to 'get right' again.

The girls have a poster which the therapist made for them with our 'house rules' on it.  The first rule is "to be kind to one another".  There are 9 other rules like "listen to Mommy and Daddy the first time";  "share your toys", etc.  Every time they do something to the contrary to what the poster says I will say something like "what does your rules say?" and almost always one of them will reply with "be kind!!" whether it was relevant to what our conversation was about or not...

They are getting along better lately.  Previously they would have scratched or punched each other and scream at each other when they happen to be in the same room at the same time, etc.  It was quite hectic, but the play therapy seemed to have helped a lot.  Kiddy#1 is very jealous of her little sister (although we do try to give them equal attention) which always resulted in them fighting.  Nowadays they love spending time together and just play or colour in together.  In the past they wouldn't even think of sharing the crayons without trying to scratch each other's eyes out.  It is so lovely to hear them laugh and being silly together.