Routines are Good for Everyone In The Family

There are many reasons why routines are vital to keeping our family life operating smoothly. The average family doesn’t spend much time together anymore, and a routine allows us to schedule times that the family can use to simply have fun together.

If you find that there is a particular time of day or event that often causes conflict in your family, establishing a routine can help avoid this problem area. If you constantly have to remind your children to do simple tasks each day like brushing their teeth, bathing, practicing an instrument or even washing up for dinner, a routine will get them in the habit of doing these things without the constant battle. Of course, as the kids grow older, we need to make changes to our routine to accommodate new activities, but you will find that your life will be more organized and definitely less chaotic with even a rough routine in place.

Developing A Routine

First of all, every member of the family should be in agreement with the routine. Everyone should be aware of what is expected and when it is expected. It should be predictable and consistent. However, you will also have to consider how your routine will fluctuate with changes, such as trips, holidays, moving, or a new sibling. Also, ask yourself if there are things you can do ahead of time that will help make your routine flow easier.

For example, packing lunches the night before school and making sure backpacks, shoes, and jackets are ready for the morning can shave off many precious minutes the next day. Plus, you will not have to worry about a panicked search for missing necessary articles when it is time to leave.

Ideally, each part of the routine should have a goal in mind. For example, if your goal is have the kids in bed by 9:00 p.m. your routine will have to reflect that by having baths and teeth brushed by 8:45, allowing time for a story or just some quiet talking time with your child. You will have to figure out how much time each step of the routine will take in order for this to flow smoothly. Think about certain distractions that could be eliminated such as TV or video games.

Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t go smoothly right away. You may have to be flexible and rework things until you find the routine that works for your family.

When routines are a pain for the family members, then it’s time to reconsider and talk about a solution. In general, knowing what comes next helps kids to relax, cooperate and enjoy family time together.

photo credit: jula julz

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