For many of us, our lives involve patterns and routines that we follow on a daily basis. For example, before going to bed, you may brush your teeth and change into your pajamas. Essentially, you’ve created a good routine for yourself.
Having a consistent routine helps children feel safe and happy as there’s consistency in their life. When they know what and when something is expected of them, they tend to feel comfortable. When they master the routine, many of them feel a sense of confidence in themselves.
It’s when there’s a lack of consistency or no routine that many children start to misbehave or have meltdowns. This is not the only reason but it’s a fairly big one, so I recommend setting up strong routines and structures for your kids. In fact, if you want them to take ownership over it, have them create it alongside you.
The following fours steps will help you create and establish a strong routine.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Create Mini Routines
A lot of people will tell you to create a schedule for the entire day, stick to it and create a routine. While I’m a big fan of it for myself as an adult, it’s way too much for a child. It also makes it incredibly difficult to adapt to changes.
Therefore, I suggest creating a morning, evening and night routine. For the weekends, you can have an afternoon one as well.
For each part of the day, sit down with your family and create a schedule. Keep them short and to the point. Do not have more than few points listed or it or may end up being overwhelming and difficult for your children to remember them.
For example, wake up, brush your teeth, wash your face, change your clothes, set the table, eat breakfast, and so forth.
#2. Place Reminders
One of the best ways to help your children remember the schedule that you create, especially young children, is to put up visual reminders for them.
I’ve created a visual schedule for you to use, either at home or in your classroom. Print them out on cardstock and place them in different places. For example, place the morning schedule either by your child’s door or the window in the bathroom so your child sees it as they are starting their morning. I tend to place multiple reminders around our space so that my kids have less of a chance of forgetting and are set up for success.
You can get your visual schedule by CLICKING HERE or on the following image:
#3. Practice Structure
Once you’ve created your routine as a family and you’ve placed up your visual reminders, it’s important to practice it.
If it’s a morning routine, you don’t necessarily have to practice it in the morning when you’re rushing to leave the house. You can practice it in the evening but let your child know that it’s for your morning routine. You can also do it on the weekend in the morning.
Break down one of the routines that you want to teach into a few steps. Have your kids practice them multiple times until they can do it without you verbally reminding them or watching them. Then, turn it into a game and see how fast they can do it. Use a timer that they can see and have fun with it so that this mundane task doesn’t seem like a chore or a punishment. I do this with my son and my students and it works beautifully.
#4. Be Flexible
Too many children get stuck in having a routine and have meltdowns or suffer from anxiety when they’re faced with changes to their routine. This section is important in teaching children how to adapt to their environment.
This step shouldn’t be worked on until you’ve established the first three steps. Your kids need to have their routine established and they need to be able to do it with minimal to no support first. Once they’re ready, then move on to this step.
We’re going to turn this section into a mini game. Let your kids know that once in a while, this will happen so that you can see how awesome they are at adapting to new situations. Let them know that it will be a surprise so that you can practice it.
Let’s take your morning routine for example. Perhaps you are all running late and you don’t have time to eat breakfast as a family or at the table. It means that instead of setting the table, eating together, and then cleaning up, everyone takes their breakfast, put on their coats and shoes and eat in the car.
At first, make these changes every day and then lessen it to every few days and then to every few months.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
- The reasons for creating a strong routine.
- Four ways to create a good routine for kids: create mini routines, place reminders, practice structure, and be flexible.
Free Resources:
If your children are struggling to hand in assignments on time, check out the following video training: 3 Steps to Teach Children How to Overcome Procrastination to Increase Productivity.
Next Steps:
For calm down areas on a budget, for your students who have autism, CLICK HERE.
You’re welcome to join us inside ADHD and Autism Self Regulation by CLICKING HERE or on the fallowing image.
If you found this video beneficial, would you do me a favor? Share this with your family, your friends, your loved ones, your co-workers or someone who you think could benefit from this. Thank you!
I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.
Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.
Take care,
Charlotte
Disclaimer: I’m a teacher and a parent. I’m not a medical professional, so please don’t take this as medical advice. The advice that I provide in my videos and online are strategies that I have used in my own class or at home that have worked beautifully.
