Teaching Children Routines

Instilling routines in your child can take them from being lazy and passive in life, into being driven and productive. The moment your child was born, you were called into action to raise your kid in the best way that you know how. By following a few strategies, you can raise a routine-oriented child.

 

Family Meeting

Every week or so, your family can get together to discuss the roles and responsibilities of each person in the household. This is a good way to teach children routines, which can become particularly essential in households with many people. When everyone knows his duty and expectations for contributing to the home, children will be more inclined to stick to their routine because they feel a sense of duty. Housework is one of the main topics of discussion at the meeting when developing a routine in hopes of running an organized home.

 

Structure

Telling the children when they fall out-of-line can help them develop good habits that form into their routine. When children are expected to behave in a certain way through the establishment of a routine, they will often not be as inclined to complain about their tasks because their actions will become automatic. For example, if the child is expected to do the dishes every night after dinner, he will be more likely go to the kitchen and do them immediately without complaining. He will also become more efficient at the task and won't find it as difficult.

 

Lead by Example

Developing a routine yourself will set a good example for your kids to follow. Children are particularly swayed at a young age, so showing the child your routines from when they are a young age will help them to be disciplined later in life when the tasks they perform become much more crucial. For example, right now your child might be getting into the habit of brushing her teeth every night before she goes to bed. Brush your teeth with her for several weeks, or until she is able to do it without you by her side

 

Parents

Developing routines in your children can also help you as a parent to stop nagging your child. A disciplined child doesn't often need reminding of what has been instilled in him through the development of routines. You can also schedule your own routines to fit in with your children's routines, because you know when you will have free time to attend to your needs. You will also be free from having to constantly make decisions for your children.

References

• Raising Children Network: The Basics [http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/family_routines_how_and_why_they_work.html]
• Vanderbilt University: Teaching Your Child to Become Independent With Daily Routines [http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/documents/teaching_routines.pdf]