Benefits of Establishing Routines for Children

My family is a "routine family". We have established a basic schedule and set routine for getting through each day. This routine has enabled the kids to have a strong sense of security because they know what to expect and what's expected of them as well.

One of our most daunting responsibilities as parents is to provide a structured and nurturing environment in which our children can become prepared for life as an adult. Routines certainly play an important role in ensuring that children understand and embrace their duties and receive the nurturing and care that is so important to them.

According to the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning, Studies have documented that schedules and routines influence children's emotional, cognitive, and social development. Predictable and consistent schedules in preschool classrooms help children feel secure and comfortable. Also, schedules and routines help children understand the expectations of the environment and reduce the frequency of behavior problems, such as tantrums and acts of aggression.

With each of my three children, I tried to establish a consistent routine when they were about eight weeks old. We did feedings, diaper changes, playtime, reading books and other activities in a certain order and in a predictable manner. This was instrumental in getting my children to sleep through the night quickly, which helped our entire family immensely as Mama needs her sleep.

As they grew older, we kept adjusting the routines to fit their ages and the behaviors that we wanted to establish.

One of the easiest and most important routines to start with is bedtime. For babies, you might have offer a bottle, followed by a sponge bath and clean PJ's. Then sit in a comfy chair and read a book. This can be wrapped up by a few minutes of rocking and a lullaby before laying your child in his/her crib. For toddlers, a small snack can be offered, followed by teeth brushing, PJ's, a quick bedtime story followed by a prayer as their tucked in bed. Older children also benefit from a routine that includes special time with their parents or caregivers.

By establishing consistent routines, your child will know what's coming next and what you expect them to do. This also helps parents clue into special circumstances that need attention. For example, if your child starts crying 10 minutes after you tuck them in bed and that's not their normal behavior. The parent can then reasonably assume that something is not right - the child may be sick or upset about something. The parent can then take action to rectify the problem. However, if no routine has been established and the child's behavior is not consistent, a parent can't make those immediate assessments.

Routines also help the parents in many ways. It allows for a feeling of normalcy and some extent of control. This really helps during those times when stress is high from other aspects of parental responsibility - jobs, holidays, etc.

Having an established routine also makes it easier for other caregivers of your children - relatives or babysitters who take care of your children. They can be briefed on the routine(s) and that helps keep a sense of normalcy for everyone involved.

My family has several routines - our mornings (when we serve breakfast, getting ready for school, etc.); departures from home (how we load up in the van, who is responsible for grabbing what items, etc.); when we are out and about (who holds whose hand, how we go through the grocery store, etc.); and bedtime.

I highly recommend establishing routines for your family. There are many resources available for figuring out what kind of routines will work best. Below are some helpful links:

Babycenter.com -

http://www.babycenter.com/0_establishing-a-bedtime-routine-with-your-baby_1507759.bc

Parents.com -

http://www.parents.com/toddlers/development/social/establishing-toddler-routines/

eNotAlone.com -

http://www.enotalone.com/794-1.html