Groundhog day?

For many adults, doing the same thing everyday, over and over and over again can be boring. And while this is may or may not be true for you, children NEED routines. To children, routines are a very important aspect of their lives. They almost depend on you to show them what is coming next, and with routines this is easy to do. Routines give children a sense of comfort and security. They like to know what is coming next. If children can think of what comes after eating lunch, or reading a book in their rooms, the less likely they are to freak out, cry, lash out, or show negative behaviors.

How soon is too soon to develop a routine with your child? The answer is never. It is never too soon to establish a routine in your household and children's lives. If your baby is an infant or on the younger side, you have a little bit more freedom to go a little more lax in this area. I am not saying not to have a routine at all for infants, but it is not as crucial to prepare a bottle, read a book, rock in the chair, and put the baby down. A lot of times infants tend to fall asleep on their own anyway so if you are out and about running errands, there is no need to rush home for a scheduled nap. If your children are older around 4 months on up, it is more important to plan your day accordingly. Sure, you don't want to miss that once a month lunch with your friends, just try to schedule it at a time when you know baby will be happy and you can come home and transition into your routine once back home.

Routines are not only important for children, but for parents, too! If you put your child down for nap around the same time everyday, you can plan to make your phone calls, tidy up the house, catch up on your TV recordings, take a nap or simply have some "me" time!

I have found that starting routines at an earlier age, say around 4-6 months, a lot of things are made easier in babies life as well as parents life. Routines enable smoother transitions. For example a transition from lunch to nap, or sleeping through the night tend to come easier when schedules and routines are followed. Babies catch on quick! If everyday you eat lunch at the table, change diaper, head upstairs for stories, kiss baby goodnight, turn off the light, close the door, your baby will quickly catch on that it is nap time and she will close her eyes and get good rest leaving both you and baby happy! :)

Create a routine that works for your family. Not everyone will have the same times they do things. It us up to the parents to decide what is best for their children and themselves and make a routine that fits into their lifestyle. I am a firm believer that setting up routines work. The earlier, the better but it is never too late to start.

Please leave any questions or comments in the comment section, I'd love to answer any questions you may have