Routines…Why Are They Important?

Post 171

Congratulations! Your little student has settled into school and all those worries you had over the summer have been resolved. Hopefully, they like their teacher and have made a few friends. Learning has begun and I guarantee that soon you will be surprised by how much they have progressed already.😀

In education, we call September “classroom management month”…unofficially, of course. Lol. That means this is the month that our students learn those routines we will use all year. They are taught how to behave and where to sit during Morning Meeting, what each block of time during the day will be used for, how to ask permission for and use the bathroom, how to walk together in the hallway, what to do in the cafeteria, where cubbies are and how to use them, what to do on a bus line, etc., etc., etc. The list goes on and on. The point is that they learn the classroom routines that will keep things running smoothly all year and promote optimum learning.

The same can be true at home. This is when it is a good idea to establish the routines that will help your child to get the most out of their school experience. Routines let your little one know what to expect and when to expect it. They also help give them a sense of security and calm.

I really think there are only 3 that are the most important. They are:

1) Morning… This includes everything from when to get up, where to eat breakfast, how to get dressed, how and when to get on their backpack and how to get out the door to the bus,

2) Evening…This is very much the same…when and where to eat dinner, brush teeth and get to bed,

3) Homework / After School…In my opinion, this is the most important one to set up and be consistent about. I would suggest you have a definite time, preferably right after they come in and have a snack, to do homework. If you can help your child get into a routine of doing it first when they come home and are the freshest, it will make your life, and theirs, so much easier when they get into the higher grades! Even if your child’s teacher/school has a no homework policy for the Primary Grades, try to set 10 – 15 minutes aside to go over any work brought home with them and to discuss what went on in school. Those minutes will become a special bonding time that you will be glad you two had and shared as well as setting up a. routine for later years.

Of course, there are going to be interruptions…soccer practice, dance, running to the store, etc. We all live in the real world! But basic routines will help both your child and you get the most out of that amazing adventure called school! 😀

Take Care. 🙂