How To Make Your Day More Structured For Both You And Your Child
Setting a highly structured daily activity for children has many perks. Children who follow a schedule are more confident and disciplined for the rest of their lives. Still, it’s possible to mix structure with fun and comfort, so daily schedules feel more natural for children and they are able to adjust to them much quicker.
Keeping that in mind, let’s take a look at some ways that you can make your day much more structured for both you and your child. Let’s get started:
Define Wake-Up Time- parents should clearly define a daily wake-up time, as an example around 7 AM. This is much easier to do if children are conditioned to sleep earlier. Younger children may need 15 additional minutes to fully wake up.
Mealtimes- ideally, children should eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On especially busy days, you can make meals that are fun, easy, and light. For many families, dinner time is a valuable opportunity for everyone to communicate and bond.
Structured Activities- there are many structured activities that you can include in your day that will mentally stimulate your child’s brain. Structured activities are not only great for their development and education, but they can make naptime and bedtime a lot easier for both mum and child.
Structured activities can be anything from learning a language by joining a local Spanish club, or taking a ‘mum and me’ cooking class. These are super easy and wonderful to do either after school or on the weekend and now you can take many of these fun classes online through Zoom or Skype. And don’t forget that structured activities can also include physical activities such as dancing or gymnastics.
Late Afternoon Routine- there are some late afternoon activities that children can do, like playing outdoors or having a light snack. Activities can include a trip to the park for outdoor play. If a trip to the park is scheduled, be sure to have your child pack their favourite toys and other playdate essentials in a backpack or drawstring bag.
Bedtime Routine- tired children are eager to go to bed and get enough sleep. However, it can be tricky to get some children to go to bed on time. Even so, if parents stick to a predictable and consistent schedule, it’s easier for children to comply. Avoid getting your child physically active and emotionally stimulated before going to bed. Reduce screen time and try reading a book instead. Reading can be relaxing and it can help children fall asleep faster. A Cushion Bag from Totty And Py gives children a story to read while they snuggle up and prepare for a good night’s sleep.
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