Creating a Successful Routine at Home

Preparing for back to school also means resuming good habits. Children have been enjoying the summer vacation, and some good habits were laid aside:

• More flexible bedtime
• Slower start to the day
• Unstable schedules
• No time dedicated to homework or studying

For children who went to summer camps, a certain structure may have been maintained, which will make it easier to get back into a routine. For those who stayed home with their parents or grandparents with an unstable schedule, they’ll need more preparation.

The Importance of Having a Family Routine

Routines play a key role in your family’s structure. They help your kids get their bearings and give them a sense of security. Routines develop your children’s organizational skills and independence.

Whether at bedtime or in the morning, a successful routine will have an impact on the entire day. Children who sleep well are easier to wake up, they accomplish their daily tasks more efficiently, and on top of that, they arrive at school calm, in control and focused.

As a bonus, a morning routine without any conflicts will also have positive impacts on yourself. Who doesn’t dream of arriving at work in a good mood instead of with the impression of having run from the moment you opened your eyes to leaving for school?

The Foundations of a Good Routine

1. Creating a Routine That Suits Your Family Life

Determine with your children—if they’re old enough—the new family schedule for the upcoming school year. By being involved, your kids will feel more invested and motivated rather than if the schedule is simply imposed by mom or dad.

Then, go through the different times of the day with the different routines that combine different tasks. Your schedule must fit your reality; every family’s routine is unique.

Make sure to provide more time for each task so your children can adapt and get back into good habits.

This is also the perfect time to discuss your kids’ bedtime. Maybe they can go to bed 15 or 30 minutes later this year—a nice surprise to end the conversation on!

2. Creating a Routine That Suits Your Children

Depending on how old your children are, you’ll want to adjust the number of tasks and routines in their day. Younger children need a more detailed routine. For example, you can guide them more when they prepare their schoolbag to make sure they don’t forget anything.

If you’re just starting to implement a routine at home, take it slow to celebrate the wins with your children. Start with just one routine, e.g., a nighttime routine, with 4 to 5 tasks at most.

Then, as your children get used to their tasks, you can add more and introduce another routine.

The key is to be patient and do it GRADUALLY!

3. Creating a Routine That’s Clear to Everyone

Make sure tasks are clear and simple to understand for your kids. If the task is to tidy their room, clearly indicate what you expect (making their bed, picking their clothes off the floor, tidying their desk, etc.).

You can also make the routine visible somewhere in the house. Whether by using an app like Kairos, a printable routine chart or printable pictograms, displaying the routine will ensure more consistency and prevent your children from forgetting anything!

Try placing this “command centre” strategically in the house. A common spot is the refrigerator in the kitchen, but you can also choose to display the routine somewhere near the entrance, e.g., where your children put their schoolbags away.

4. Remaining Consistent

If you want your routine at home to be successful, make sure it’s as stable as possible.

Set an example and follow the schedule you decided for yourself. If you don’t follow your own schedule, your children will have a hard time doing so themselves!

Make changes to your routine as needed but put an emphasis on stability. As the saying goes, it takes 3 to 6 weeks for a good habit to stick.

5. Choosing the Right Tools to Create a Solid Routine

A routine isn’t children’s favourite time, and it’s probably not yours either. That’s why coming up with a way to motivate your kids is crucial.

There’s a slew of options available on the market.

Routine Chart

The classic routine chart or reward chart helps your children accomplish their tasks and allows them to indicate when these are done.

Family Calendar

This tool looks like an agenda and allows you to write down your children’s various activities and routines so the whole family can refer to it.

Routine Pictograms

Routine pictograms or icons help your children quickly get their bearings. It can also help them memorize their routine more easily than with a list of tasks.

Timer

Young children haven’t developed a sense of time yet. The challenge is even greater for children with ADHD or ASD.

What’s 30 minutes? 30 minutes of watching TV seem to go by very quickly, but 30 minutes of homework can seem like an eternity. Using a visual tool that allows your children to keep track of time is a great idea!

The timer is a tried and true tool that’s known to be easy for children to understand.

The Kairos App

Kairos is a tool for children between 6 and 12 years old which incorporates your family routine in an application and video game, available on iOS and Android.

Designed with children at the centre of the solution, it’s a tool that allows your kids to make their routine their own, be motivated and consistent enough for their routine to work!

As a parent, you have access to tips and a virtual coach to guide you in using the right interventions at the right times.

Proud partner of Kaleido, Kairos is offering you to try its app for free and enjoy an exclusive discount as a Kaleido client*. Go to your Client Space, under the “Family Coaching” section, for the complete details.

The key is to choose a tool that suits you as a parent, and most importantly that will motivate your children. After all, you’re putting this system in place for your kids!

Ask yourself this: what tool will truly help your children stay motivated during several weeks once the novelty effect goes away?

Routines pose a challenge for many families, but with the right tools and attitude you’ll be well on your way to a successful routine.

Be patient and consistent.