ROUTINE FOR A CHILD – WHAT DO I MEAN?

WHAT DO I MEAN WHEN I SAY A ROUTINE FOR A CHILD

Don’t stick to the timings rather go by your child, the rest falls in place – you need to work on this.

Many have asked me to share Chintu’s routine – which is to share the routine of a child, to understand our day. I also get the feeling that many of us moms get more stressed worrying about the child’s routine.

Mornings become a battle field at many houses. Don’t you agree. Sometimes the scene at the house is, “you chasing your child around the house trying to get them do their morning chores- brushing, using potty, getting dressed, having breakfast, the list goes on and on.” It becomes frustrating both for you and the child.

Let me tell you this, something that I learnt through my experience and what has worked for us. I did struggle initially, I was so clueless, every morning was a challenge, sometimes I felt like giving up. I put a pause, stayed calmed, tried to figure things out, worked on our routine first, tried understanding my son’s natural routine, started fresh, a few trial and error and it worked perfectly.

Here are few things you need to know

• We need to understand that the child may not understand time, may not go by the wall clock at your house, but they definitely understand the timing based on what is happening at home. For example: mommy cooking in the kitchen, daddy ironing his shirt – the child understands that its time for morning chores. It’s like they have an invisible clock for themselves.
• Then, the environment of the house, this really matters. Also, a prepared environment for the child totally helps. Searching for the child’s tooth brush in the morning, will do no good.
• Give enough time and plan accordingly: when involving your child, you can’t expect quick work always, they take time, and we need to be patient. So, we need to plan accordingly, because when you push your child in to be quick, it might mess things up.
• Don’t react when things fall apart, when things don’t happen according to your schedule, it ok, every day is different. As kids grow, as they become more independent, there will be a change in their routine, it’s important for us to go with their flow.
• Your work flow: when you are in a good routine, the child naturally understands what to expect next. For example: when Chintu wakes up from his nap, that’s our tea time – he understands it’s time for him to drink and eat something along with the family, followed by outdoor play.
• Also, there may be situations, where we have to work on our routine in order to help the child work on his natural routine. For us, I had to learn to wake up earlier than Chintu, seriously I am so bad at this. And this helped, really did.
• What works for the child and your family? Figure this out, it differs for every family. For us, some cuddling in the bed is the first thing in the morning, also a few minutes of independent play before breakfast makes a difference. Mealtimes together is important, if not all at least one meal together.

And trust me staying calm and cheerful in the morning is a game changer – sleep, a good sleep for both the parent and the child plays a role in the mood of the day, especially the mornings.

It definitely takes time, the child needs time to understand, and adapt accordingly. So, don’t give up.

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