Wednesday Wisdom with Happy Hour For Kids The Power of Routines Humans, by nature like routine. We thrive with consistency. It builds trust, confidence, and competence. When we know what is expected of us we are able to prepare and plan our actions, behavior, and make the best choice for the situation. Well our kids are no different. Establishing a routine will not only decrease whining and arguing, it also helps accomplish so many other things. Providing your child with a consistent routine will: • Reduce stress for everyone in the household • Sets a precedence for what is expected • Provides children with a sense of control • Teaches responsibility • Develops good time management skills • Establishes good habits (eating, hygiene, sleep, etc.) Since mornings and after school hours can be difficult, it is a good idea to set a routine for both times. Every family is different; therefore, every family’s routine is going to be different. What is important is you find what works for you and you stick with it. A few key things to remember are: • Be sure you leave some wiggle room in the schedule so you do not end up rushing; nobody likes to feel rushed, and things are bound to come up. • Allow for downtime. Everyone needs some time to just be after a busy day • Be consistent! It is not a routine if it changes every day. • Recognizing that there will be days where everyone needs to be flexible because things come up and life happens, is as important as being consistent. Be sure to prepare your kids when the schedule is going to change, whenever possible, to alleviate any stress the change may cause. • Be smart about your routine. For example, if you know that turning the TV off is going to cause a melt down and potentially cause your child to miss their bus, then do not allow TV before school • Stay organized. Nothing will throw your morning off like running around your house frantically looking for a homework folder or your car keys. • Having a routine will help EVERYONE to start and end his or her day on a calmer and happier note. Remember, most people find comfort in the predictability of a consistent routine, and children benefit from this consistency even more. If we prepare our children for what to expect each day, we are providing them with the opportunity to be successful before the day has even started!
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 21:28:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015