“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.” – Mike Murdock
That’s really true – isn’t it? It’s now Week 5 of Term 2, and we are in the middle of all the chaos. Whether it is preparing for mid-year examinations, or having weighted assessments, the key to excelling in them is to ensure that there is consistency.
How do we achieve this consistency? That’s right – practice, practice, practice! The only way to get productive practices going is to have a routine. Now, if you look at parenting advice sites or books, you will observe that there is a lot of discussion about children following a routine. Having a routine is a truly beneficial habit. It can help children feel safe and self-reliant and help parents reduce having to dictate everything for their children. But, let’s be honest – it is hard to get your children to follow a certain structure of activities, but once they get the hang of it, they will reap the benefits that it provides.
Why is having a routine good?
Many studies have proven the positive results of children following a routine. Childhood is the period where children experience the most number of changes. Surrounded by all this, routine helps children feel a sense of familiarity and safeness. These are some benefits of having a routine:
- Helps them build habits – The things that they learn in childhood tend to stick with them forever.
- Helps cultivate self-discipline – This is the most important thing to have for a person to succeed. They will learn to do what is needed every time instead of giving in to procrastination.
- Strengthen personal relationships – Having tasks that you do together as a family or with friends can deepen the bond you have with them. It instils a sense of belonging and companionship in children.
- Make them self-sufficient – Imagine a situation where the parents have to leave the children alone for any reason. They will be able to take care of them if they are used to doing it every day.
- Relieve stress – For parents and children, having a set routine can help to avoid stress. Parents don’t have to dictate everything for the children and children feel more relieved knowing what is expected of them at any time.
Setting Routines
People often create routines, follow them for a couple of days and then lose their enthusiasm. Such is the case for the vast majority of people. It is harder to get children to follow a routine than adults, as children are restless and don’t have enough self-control. But once they get used to a routine, they follow through with it better than adults. Habits and routines learned at a young age usually last longer. There are different things you have to keep in mind while setting a routine for your child or even for yourself.
- If you’re creating a routine for your child to follow, involve them in the process. Ask their opinions and suggestions so that it is comfortable for them to get started on it.
- Start small! Don’t create complicated routines from the start. Create small tasks that they can complete and encourage them to do them. Once they are used to that routine, make changes and progress from there.
- When creating tasks for children, explain to them the goal of each thing. Teach them to prioritize. Every task may be of different importance. Help them understand what needs to be done first and what can be postponed or can be done without urgency.
- Give them enough time. Don’t expect them to follow the routine from the next day that you created it. It takes time for children to adjust to changes. They may fail in the beginning. Be patient and encourage them. Without proper motivation, they might give up.
- Get your children involved in housework. The most effective way to set routines is to get them involved in housework.
If you’re not sure how to start, you can try some of these out:
- Make them start the day by making their bed.
- Let them help you according to their ability. Let younger children be involved by making them set the plates or move around non-breakable items.
- Keep a chore chart.
- Create a point system and give rewards for any points achieved.
- If your children are a bit older, start by teaching them how to chop vegetables and slowly move towards teaching them how to cook.
- Try to engage their interests and include chores that are fun for them.
Here are a few more ways through which you can help your children set their routines right –
- Visual aids – Make use of calendars or checklists. Cross out every successful task or day and encourage them not to break the chain. Having a visual reminder like a calendar with crossed-out dates can be a great motivating factor to follow the routine.
- Allow flexibility – Do not make them follow through with the routines without any exceptions. Give them enough wiggle room. Allow them to postpone or skip a task if they can give you a proper reason.
- Lead by example – The best way to teach your children things is to show them how you do it. Talk to them about your routine and show them how you stick to it.
Having a routine can do wonders for a child’s development. It can help them become self-sufficient as well as be more responsible. Getting them started on it might be difficult, but in the long run, it will only bring you good.
Do not hesitate and start helping your child build their routines today! 🙂
Creating structure and rules for your child!
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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