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The National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) and Child Care Aware do not endorse nor are we responsible for the information or materials posted on any of the resource’s websites.Day After Day
August 27, 2007
As an adult, you may not think about your daily routine. You wake up, possibly work out, have your morning coffee, a day full of meetings and appointments, home to make dinner, and a few moments of relaxation before bed. But, what about your child?
You have your day planner, your PDA, or whatever device it is that keeps you where you need to be on time and your child has you. You give her daily routines and a regular schedule. These things provide her with the consistency she needs for positive development in childhood. Regular day to day schedules or routines provide your child with a feeling of comfort and security that will let her explore and learn. You can use every part of your daily routine as a learning opportunity.
Below are some tips when it comes to your family routines:
- Wake up: Start the morning the same everyday. After waking your child up, have her get dressed. If she's not yet able to dress herself, help her get dressed and as you're getting dressed, talk about buttons, zippers, shoelaces, or buckles. Talk about the color of her shirt or pants. You can even practice left and right. During breakfast you can talk about what both you and your child are planning to do throughout the day. Then it's out the door and on your way.
- Meal time: During meal time, whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner, your child can help you in the preparations. Your child can help you set the table. While doing so, you can talk about how many of each item: plate, fork, spoon, knife, and glass you will need. If your child is helping you prepare food regularly, you can talk about many things such as the color or texture of food, how many ingredients you're using, the different measurements you're using, as well as the time it will take to make the meal. Clearing the table and washing the dishes will also offer learning lessons for your child.
- Saying goodnight: After you've cleaned up from dinner, you may be ready to get ready for the next day. Before bath time, there may be time for one or two games, puzzles or just a little bit of free time. At bath time, you can discuss what each of you did during your day. You could compare it to your conversation at breakfast and what you thought your day would be like. Evening rituals, like books and songs before bed, can be both lessons for your child and methods of relaxation for your child leading up to a good night's sleep. A good night's sleep will ensure your child is ready to go when you start the routine again in the morning.
No matter what routines you may create for your child, it's important to remember to stick to them. If there are to be changes in your schedule it is important to let your child know ahead of time, if possible, as not to upset them. By talking about any changes that may come up, you can prepare your child for differences in their routines and how they can adapt to them. It is understandable that not all disruptions to schedules can be anticipated and these surprises may result in an unhappy child. Being there to talk through the disruption with your child can also make these experiences learning ones.
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