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The new year brings all sorts of new experiences, excitement, anxiety and fatigue – for all the family. February in Australia marks the new school year and is therefore often the most popular time to go back to work for mums who've been on extended maternity leave. It can be a pretty demanding time all round, because of the huge changes affecting everyone in the family.
One of the most taxing things for parents is how to get children into a new routine in order to make it less stressful for all concerned. There are two schools of thought when it comes to babies – routine or non-routine. But at some point, all of us have to have some sort of routine in order to make or lives easier.
While you may think that getting children into routines is hard, children are creatures of habit and routine by their very nature. How many times have you heard the questions: What are we doing today? What are we doing tomorrow? How long will we be there? Children like to know when things are happening. It makes them feel safe, secure and in control.
There is absolutely no doubt that they will have a very strict routine when they go to child care, pre-school or junior school. All of these sorts of environments thrive and survive on routines. If they didn't have them, it would be chaos! And children don't like chaos (no matter what their bedroom says!). It unsettles them.
At child care and pre-school children will listen to stories at a certain time, eat at a certain time, nap at a certain time, have daily scheduled quiet time, play time and outdoor play. They are even encouraged to go the the loo at certain times (which helps with potty training). This not only helps the child care workers or teachers, but also the children themselves.
Even if baby number one didn't have a routine as such, by the time baby number 2 or even 3 comes along, baby number one has started pre-school or school and so routines are inevitable. Baby number one needs to slot into an already scheduled day and that's that… And guess what? They all do!
Routines are good for kids for many reasons:
- To teach and instill daily hygiene (like brushing teeth and washing hands)
- Preparation for school routines and ultimately the real world of work!
- To give a sense of security and safety at home and at child care or playschool
- To help teach them about healthy eating habits, behaviour and table manners!
- For reading development – e.g. regular bedtime stories
- To instill sense of belonging, contribution and value at home (e.g. setting table, clearing dishes, helping bathe baby)
- Family time routines ensure quality family time is spent each week, e.g. park time after weekend breakfast, walk after school, bath time with dad.
- To set body clocks and help them to develop good sleep habits. This is particularly important in early years and then when body starts to change pre-puberty.
- Dealing with stressful situations – children deal with stress more easily when they have an established home or school routine.
- To manage medical requirements: a routine for medication or exercise will help make both you and you child less likely to forget.
- To manage children with special needs or disabilities.
Why routines are good for parents:
- To help the day go smoothly – things like getting work clothes, lunch and bag ready the night before are little things, but so helpful.
- Building in an exercise routine, even if it's for 20 minutes will help with body and mind.
- Having a set morning routine means you are less likely to be late or forget something.
- Routine at work helps the day go more smoothly and you're more likely to get out on time and be more organised in your daily tasks
- Your sense of order and calm will rub off on the kids!
- Set dinner time enables family time or if you can't realistically eat at the same time as your kids, at least you and your partner will have some time together.
- Evening and night time/bed time routine for both kids and parents also helps you get enough sleep, sets your body clock and keeps you sane!
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