It should be clear by now, especially to anyone reading any form of self development, self care or education posts in the last few years, that a daily routine is extremely important to setting up your day in a positive manner and influencing your overall productivity.
The same goes for your children! It is actually more influential in your preschooler’s day than yours. Establishing their daily routine is directly correlated to them being successful throughout their day.
Let’s go into why..
*Why Daily Routines Are Important for Adults
Routines help us stay focused throughout our day. Even when we perhaps take a break on the weekends from our normal 9-5 routine (if we have the 9-5), that break is still a part of our weekend routine. Everything falls in line to some kind of schedule whether we notice it our not. Even for people who think they may not have a routine and like to fly through their day without a structured schedule, they are still scheduling their day to allow for more freedom to make those spontaneous choices.
*Look at the Routine Facts
Whether you choose to shower in the morning or evening, that becomes part of your routine. What time you have breakfast every morning or if you don’t have breakfast, that becomes part of your routine. If you gym three times a week, that’s a routine. If you watch the same show every Tuesday night, that is part of your routine. You see where I am going with this?
All this is to say that whether we notice it or not, routines are all around us and help us navigate a highly successful day if structured accordingly.
So wouldn’t it make sense that your children would require the same, if not more structure, to have a successful day for themselves? And let’s be honest, the more successful day your preschooler has, the more successful and happy day you will have. And for any mom, for any parent, that is what true magic looks like, am I right?
The more we can work towards achieving that the more blissful your life will be, and their’s, trust me.
*Why Routines Are Important for Children
So let’s look at why routines are important for children. Just like for adults, routines help children navigate their day without losing direction, staying focused, and being productive. Although you may think they are wildly different from what parents deal with on a daily basis, it is actually more similar than you know. Let’s discuss.
Children must have a wake up time just as parents do. Children go to school just as parents go to work, children must have lunch and snack scheduled just as parents do. Children must have dinner just as parents do, and children must have a bed time just as parents do. This is the daily outline for the day. Two different ages, both following routines for a successful and positive day.
But wait, there’s more!
*The Safety Factor
Now, there is one extremely important factor that impacts children much more than it does adults, and parents must be made aware of this. The daily routine, the daily schedule, whatever you want to call it, adds an extremely high level of comfort and safety for the child.
Let me repeat. FOLLOWING A SCHEDULE MAKES YOUR CHILD FEEL SAFE.
Let’s unwrap this. Just like routines help us know what to expect, it does the same for your child but is 100x more influential. Seriously!
As adults we have had life experiences that educated us and allow us to regulate ourselves accordingly within any given situation. Even if you change the schedule for the day, we’ll be okay. Surprise meeting? It’s fine! Take a deep breath and move forward. Late to work because of traffic? Notify who you need to, move what appointments you need to, and again, keep going.
However children, specifically preschoolers, are just learning how to regulate themselves for the first time. By providing them with a schedule you are giving them a comfort zone to exist with in, learn with in, be productive within. Those parameters allow for other learning to take place. Ever wonder why teachers plan daily schedules for their students? Ever wonder why most daily schedules are hanging up where the students can see them?
There is a certain level of comfort that comes along with knowing what to expect for the day. Just as parents have their planners, google calendars, etc. preschoolers have their daily picture routines in school.
Now, when that routine or that schedule is non existent, children will have no idea what to expect, and for any child, that can be extremely anxiety provoking. For any adult that can be extremely anxiety provoking.
However, as adults, we know how to adapt, how to adjust ourselves accordingly, how to regulate our energy to fit within the new confines. But children do not. They are just learning such skills for the very first time, so to take away that comfort and safety factor is detrimental.
A routine must be put in place to allow your child to not only be successful throughout their day but to feel safe within their environment.
*Daily Routine Example
So now that we know a routine is absolutely necessary, let’s look at a basic daily routine that will help your child thrive. For the most part your child’s day will probably already look like this, but for those who are just starting to develop one or are seeking more information for their child’s existing routine, here we go.
Morning:
Every child should wake up around the same time. Now depending on the age of your child, even if they wake up early they should be able to stay in their room and hopefully their bed till the appropriate time. Next should be some kind of breakfast or bathroom routine, followed by clothes, and getting ready for school.
Now the order of these things can be personalized to fit your family, but the important thing is that there is order and it doesn’t just happen all willy nilly every day. You will find yourself having a struggle during each part if you proceed like that.
Midday:
Next, your preschooler should head to school where they will be provided with their daily routine there, and will see you or the nanny at pick up. Once they are back home there should be an afternoon routine in place that can consist of things such as minor tv time, independent play, snack, and possibly a rest period if they didn’t have one at school.
Evening:
Then the evening routine will ensue with dinner, bath, brushing teeth, story time and bed. Now, as aforementioned, the order of these items is up to you. But follow through on what you implement. The stronger routine you have for your child, the more successful your day will be too.
*Summary
All in all routines really are a great part of our day. They help us and our families be happy and productive. They allow us to plan out what needs to get done so we have more time for the fun things. And most importantly, they allow us to thrive in all the areas we want. So make sure to setup your child for success in establishing what they need to feel safe, comforted, and to be just as happy!
And if you have any great tips and ideas for helping your little one leave it in the comments below!
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