WINTER BREAK IS OVER AND SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION. WE ALL KNOW THE PAINS OF GETTING BACK INTO ROUTINE – ESPECIALLY WITH A TODDLER IN TOW. USE THESE TIPS TO AGAIN MAKE THE SCHOOL DAY A BREEZE.

After weeks of holiday parties, dinner with family and friends and all the other festivities that come with the holidays, it’s finally time to get back into routine and reality – which can feel like pulling teeth when you have a toddler in the house.

At Claire’s Day School, we are aware of these adjustments and how major they may be to your child, so we are sure to keep to a consistent schedule in order to acclimate them back into our program as quickly as possible.

But the time they spend before and after their day at Claire’s is just as important. Use these tips and tools to create an effortless routine for both morning and evening with tips from The Mom Life.

Stay Consistent

As always, consistency is key to any routine when dealing with children. If you throw something new at them in the mornings when they’re already tired, cranky and not used to a certain task, a temper tantrum is sure to follow shortly after.

This may mean you have to stick to that routine every day, even on the weekends. Take a look at this graphic created by This Mom Life showing the reasons consistency is so helpful in routine making:

Communicate With Your Toddler

No one likes to be blindsided by unexpected tasks or activities. Letting your child know what comes next or why we have to do certain things such as brushing teeth or making the bed will help them understand their routine and make it easier for them to develop habitual actions.

This can come in the form of verbal communication or a visually with a picture map. Instill pride in your child when tasks are done orderly so they get a sense of satisfaction when the routine goes smoothly.

Affirmation is an important component to this strategy. When you praise your child for doing the routine correctly and quickly, it becomes more fun than a chore and will be much easier to accomplish for days in the future.

Maintain Composure And Positivity

Your attitude will reflect on your child’s. If you’re in an irritated, stressed mood while getting them ready for the day or getting frustrated when it’s time for bed, your child will pick up on that mood. Try to stay calm, even if you’re running late. A frustrated toddler will only increase the delay and make a mess of a morning.

Same goes for bedtime. If your child puts up a fight at bedtime, try approaching it with a calm, but firm, strategy. For more tips, read our blog post on bedtime with your toddler.

Use Timers To Stay On Schedule

Stop clocks are a great way to keep you and your child on task for both morning and bedtime routines. If they enjoy watching their favorite show before they go to daycare, put a time limit on your phone or Alexa and let them know that they only have a set amount of time before the show comes off.

You can also use songs to time things, like This Mom Life suggests. Put on your child’s favorite song and tell them they have to brush their teeth until the song is over, or need to be dressed by then end of it. This puts fun into their routines.

Routines are crucial in developement and make things so much smoother on parenting. If you have any suggestions for Claire’s parents, comment in our Facebook group. We would love to hear from you!