The Importance of Routines

Summertime is often the time when families relax routines and change
expectations for getting up in the morning or going to bed at night. These
routines become sidelined because of the change in daylight hours or
activities taking place. In my house, it was a time when we could stay up
later, watch movies, do some star gazing, or play games.

Now that school has started, there is a sense of calm due to the
established routines being back in place.At the end of the summer prior to
school starting, my kids usually were thankful to have their routines back
in place, even if it meant going to bed earlier.

School dictates what time to get up, especially for those individuals who
struggle for a while in the mornings to wake up and to be able to engage in
the day at their optimum. Some individuals need some time to become fully
awake, maybe eat, have some juice/coffee/tea, or exercise. Other times it
could be that the alarm goes off and the person is immediately awake and
functioning within their routine with enthusiasm.

Sometimes this looks like a student needing some quiet time, individual
paced work time, or perhaps music playing softly in the background as they
are working on academic tasks. Others need conversations and engagement
with others in order for their brains to become active and help them become
successful in their day. I wake up daily by engaging my brain with
different games of solitaire. This creates some problem solving and
thinking ahead situations for my brain to focus on that initiates my daily
thought processes and decision-making for the day.

In the classroom, routines help establish order in place of confusion and
chaos, time efficiency, and a sense of achievement throughout the day.
Accreditation requirements establish the length of a day schools must meet
in order to fulfill academic requirements, but teachers organize the day
accordingly to provide ample time for instruction, self-care, and
developmentally appropriate breaks that support students.

Having established routines at home supports student social-emotional well
being that transfers to the classroom as well. Providing anticipatory
guidance and expectations is a benefit to children of all ages that has
little to do with rewards or discipline. It helps them feel safe, secure,
and successful when they are acting within the boundary of the set routine
and expectation. This time of year can be challenging for students who
require more sleep for optimal learning and brain development because it’s
light later than suggested bedtimes. However, with a simple change in
window coverings to blackout solutions, having a routine that allows
relaxation and calming, or providing processing time can help transition
from daily activity to bedtime easily. Reading is a great bedtime routine
that can be a time for parents to connect with their child(ren) or as a
coveted time to relax.
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Here is an article supporting the importance of establishing routines:
https://zerotothrive.org/routines-for-kids/