Helping children have a routine.

For each and every one of us, routine is essential. We are thrown into chaos without a schedule, frequently unclear of what we should be doing or even what day of the week it is. A schedule is very crucial for youngsters, especially in terms of their mental health and behavior.

The current COVID-19 epidemic has resulted in the closure of several schools, causing the usual school day to be entirely disrupted. As a result, many parents and guardians are forced to establish new routines in order to provide structure to their children’s and own lives. However, this might feel like a daunting undertaking, and it can be tough to know where to begin.

Why is it necessary for children to have a routine?

A child’s life benefits from routine because it provides stability and comfort, as well as a feeling of normalcy. Children are afraid of the unknown, and while change is necessary in life, it can also cause a great deal of stress for them. Routine helps to alleviate stress and provides a sense of stability.

The advantages of establishing a routine for youngsters are numerous and extensive. Maintaining a routine:

• Teaches a youngster the value of time management while also assisting them in sticking to a timetable. If your child goes to bed at the same time every night, for example, they will quickly learn that the hour before bedtime is when they should start calming down.

• It aids in the setting of expectations. Instead of debating who should set the table for dinner, if it’s put in someone’s weekly planner, they’ll know it’s their duty and be ready to do it.

• Provides a youngster with self-assurance and independence. If a kid has a chore put in their weekly planner, even if it’s as simple as brushing their teeth before bed, they’ll be able to glance at their planner and know to do it without being instructed, instilling a feeling of independence and pride.

• Habits are formed. Having a routine in place, whether it’s brushing their teeth in the morning or doing their schoolwork before supper, helps youngsters develop these habits and teaches them how to manage their time.

• Habits are formed. Having a routine in place, whether it’s brushing their teeth in the morning or doing their schoolwork before supper, helps youngsters develop these habits and teaches them how to manage their time.

• Encourages youngsters to be enthused about upcoming events. Children have something to look forward to if they know what to expect, such as watching a movie together one evening or baking cake together on the weekend.

Finally, and probably most importantly, establishing a routine for children during this epidemic provides stability and consistency in an environment that is frequently unknown, uncontrolled, and unexpected. While we have no influence over what occurs outside of our houses or in the world around us, we do have power over what occurs within them. When you establish a pattern in a child’s life, you assist to instill a feeling of normalcy and reduce the stress of the outside world.

Five Activities to Incorporate Into Your Child’s Weekly Routine

You don’t want to add to the pressure and stress by developing a schedule that’s overly complicated or has unrealistic daily goals for both your child and yourself at this time. For a planner to be useful, it does not need to be complex or loaded with thousands of ideas. Here are some suggestions for sticking to a schedule, as well as ideas you may include into your own planner.

Maintain a Routine That Is Identical to What Is Normally Done

Despite the fact that the current situation is far from normal, sticking to your regular routine as much as possible might assist to restore a sense of normalcy. This might include getting up at the same time every day as if they were going to school, eating all three meals at the same time throughout the day, and having organized periods for other activities like naps, exercise, and going to bed at night.

Additionally, while it may be tempting to keep your children in their pajamas all day, you should encourage them to dress. This will help to increase productivity and maintain a clear distinction between day and night.

Be active.

Encourage your children to walk around and get up during the day. Find creative methods to move around at home, in addition to making the most of your daily allotment of outside exercise, which you might utilize on a family stroll, for example. This might be as simple as skipping in the garden, jogging up and down the stairs, or participating in a more planned exercise.

Exercise provides a lot of benefits for a child’s mental health, in addition to physical benefits like as strengthening bones, growing muscles, and assisting in the maintenance of a healthy weight. Exercise has been shown to boost a child’s self-esteem and confidence, as well as have a beneficial impact on their behavior and perspective. It also teaches children the value of exercising and being healthy from a young age.

Encourage learning.

Learning should not be put on hold. It’s crucial to remember, though, that no one expects you to educate your kids for six hours a day, five days a week. At this point, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. There are several services accessible online for youngsters to ensure that their minds remain active and engaged. This contains complete schemes of work, examinations, and instructional activities available online.

Furthermore, learning does not have to be just centered on the curriculum. Even asking your child to help you prepare dinner can teach them a valuable life skill and teach them about different types of food; reading a book can improve a child’s vocabulary and empathy; and encouraging them to be creative through other fun activities like coloring can help them concentrate and focus.

Stay Connected

Everyone benefits from social interactions and connections: they are what make us human, and we might become lonely without them. While going out and socializing with our pals is not feasible due to the present lockdown and social isolation measures, staying in contact with people electronically is not only possible but actively encouraged.

Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom are all excellent ways to stay in touch with friends and family while having a virtual face-to-face chat. Furthermore, messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are a fantastic way to stay in touch with people, as long as they are utilized responsibly.

Control Screen Time

While being in contact with friends and family is critical at this time, it’s equally critical to keep screen usage under control. Children will increase their screen usage when they have more time on their hands, whether it’s to contact their pals, play online games, or strive to become TikTok famous. However, it is critical to attempt to limit the amount of time that children spend in front of screens while also ensuring that they are secure online.

It’s a good idea to incorporate free time into your child’s routine, which they may use to play a game or check their phone. Allowing your children to do this at a certain period each day, or after finishing a piece of schoolwork, for example, will teach them the value of spending time away from their screens and appreciating the time they do spend on them.