Young toddlers are like models of clay; they adapt their personalities as we shape them.
The early life habits are replicated in the later stages of their lives. Every little thing in their universe contributes to it, and parents play the most crucial role in shaping these early personalities.
While parents try to instil the best practices in their kids, many times they tend to underestimate the importance of developing a daily routine for kids. For instance, the importance of physical activities in preschool is a well-versed topic. On the other hand, developing a daily routine for young kids is not considered important for their overall growth.
Here’s how setting a daily routine for kids is beneficial to children:
- They tend to remember and predict the routine, which boosts their confidence.
- Having a schedule for kids, from morning to night promotes discipline.
- Knowing what to expect next gives them a sense of security and stability.
- It can help manage screen time
- Their mind and body prepare themselves in advance, and they look forward to it
- Consistency or a predictable sequence helps them cope with the rapid transition they go through while developing verbal, physical, motor, and social skills.
- Rewards both parent and child with fewer bedtime battles
- Allows parents to have a breather
Here’s how you can avail these benefits:
Every set of parents and kids has their own pattern for adapting things:
Type 1: child-led parenting:
It revolves around a child’s preferences, mainly for infants who are still developing their basic routines like food and sleep cycles. Parents must be extra vigilant as their child learns to speak, walk, play, and develop habits at their own pace. A kid’s response to a certain shift in their schedule can help set the routine better.
Type 2: parent-led parenting:
Here, kids are in an observant position, and they tend to adopt a routine followed by their parents. This majorly happens in the case where both parents are working or work around a schedule.
Few practices that help develop a daily routine:
Communicate the benefits:
For example, when they are taught about the importance of physical activities in preschool, they look forward to playtime in their schedule and feel more energetic at that time.
Act of Balance:
For example, while telling them the importance of physical activities in preschool, help them balance it by adding other activities like socializing, indoor games, studying, etc.
Don’t overdo it:
Give them time and make changes to the schedule as per a child’s needs.
Help them make fun DIY calendars and charts:
Make the process fun and creative for them.
For e.g., things like self-made colourful timetables, and DIY charts can motivate them to follow them religiously
A free-choice period
Allowing a free choice period allows them to follow their interests. It provokes active thinking to utilize this time wisely, as they are the decision-makers here.
Rewards
Reward your kids for sticking to their routines. These rewards can be materialistic as well as verbal.
The moral of the story is that a set routine can work wonders for your little champs. However, it should not put your kid on top of a clock. A steady sequence of activities does the job.
