Summer is coming to an end and although many children were in child care all Summer, many are going for the first time or just starting back after a Summer break. Therefore, it’s time to start getting children ready to go back! As a part of preparation, it’s important to help children develop a routine.
Why Routines are Important
Routines are important for people of all ages. Even adults have their own routines for getting ready in the morning and going to bed at night. The reason we need these routines is because they help us tomanage our lives.
Think about the way your mornings would go if you didn’t follow the same routine every day. It would be hectic, you would regularly be late for work and you would commonly forget to do things that need to be done in the morning. Having a routine helps us manage our time and it reduces the stress of everyday life. Routines in child care can also help reduce stress- both on the provider as well as the child. Did you know that statistics show that stressed providers are less apt to offer praise and nurturance to children? Adults can help children develop routines and practice them until they follow them automatically and they will benefit everyone- parent, provider and child!
Getting Ready
It’s important for parents to get their child ready for the start so they’ll want to help them set routines for bed time, waking up in the morning and for when they come to child care each day.
To set a bedtime routine, parents need to consider the time their child needs to wake up in the morning. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommendations on how much sleep children need or they can talk to their own pediatrician. It’s important to get children to bed with enough time to get a good night’s sleep and have them awake with enough time to get ready for school. A good bedtime routine could include things like preparing their clothes for the next day to help with the morning routine.
The morning routine is going to need to include all of the things they need to do before going to school and be sure there is enough time to get ready without having to rush. Once a child gets to school, knowing what to expect each day can help reduce nerves and developing a routine. This will benefit everyone- and ensure you’re off to a good start to the year!