Consistent Routines Build Healthy Habits for Your School-age Child

What is a routine?

Routines are consistent schedules in a certain part of the day. You can create a routine for getting ready for school, transitioning home after school or getting ready for bed. Your school-age child likely has a lot of experience with routines during the school day. At school, your child probably has a routine around transitioning between subjects, learning and packing up to come home.

Why create a routine?

Following a consistent routine helps kids feel safe and comfortable. When kids feel safe and happy, their behavior is better because the brain’s stress response is not engaged. With a routine, kids can just do it, without feeling stressed, thinking hard, worrying and tiring themselves out. They can save their energy for more important things, like homework, family playtime or sports.

With a routine, kids know what to expect, and that helps them feel confident about what lies ahead. They are also learning self-discipline.

Additionally, consistent routines will help a child overcome the challenges that come from transitions—the transition from home to school in the morning, from school to their afterschool program in the afternoon, etc.

How do I create a routine?

Your school-age child will likely have ideas and opinions about their routines. Involve your child in creating the routine. This will help develop their independence and confidence. Additionally, giving your child voice in their routine will build buy-in and reduce power struggles and conflicts between adults and kids.

After you have identified the routine with your child, you can work together to make it into a checklist. Making a creative checklist, with drawings and elements your child loves, will help your child engage with the routine. Include more responsibilities as your child gets older.

Tips for creating a routine

Involve your child.

Create a visual reminder with a chart, checklist, schedule or pictures.

Break the routine into steps. For example: instead of saying “get ready for school,” the routine should include smaller steps like “fill your water bottle," "put on your shoes" and "put your lunchbox into your backpack."

Prepare to adjust or adapt if there are unusual circumstances. Life does not always go as planned, and learning to adjust to the unexpected is a valuable life skill.

Through routines, your child will learn to create healthy habits through repetition and develop personal responsibility. Your child will have a sense of independence and control, as they will be able to manage their own routine.