I’ve been back to school for almost 3 weeks and am trying to get into my routine. Routines are so important for us all because we crave structure. Within that structure, we can set predictable steps which happen night after night and as a child grows, they become more independent.
Children crave a structure and boundaries. Without those boundaries children will try different things to see what the better response is. They will quickly learn what they can get away with and what is a no-no on school nights.
Children crave that stable routine that they can depend on night after night. Given a predictable routine often results in a bit of chaos when that routine becomes changed for one reason or another. We can deal with that once in a while chaos, but dealing with this night after night will create an unending cycle and no one will feel good in the morning.
As school just began or will begin soon, set your family up for a smooth transition to bedtime.
What happens after school? What time will dinner be? Have an after-dinner routine. Have a goal for bedtime. Now decide what works best for your child in those time frames. Limits must be set up the first night and kept to. I remember being so tired and I still had three more songs to sing before my child knew it was time for me to leave his room. I tried to leave earlier a few nights and would end up with a child sitting up in bed asking for those songs I was trying to get away with. Children learn very quickly what a routine is and if you try to break it, they will call you on. If you only want to read one book at night stick to it and don’t read more. Another glass of water will inevitably lead to more bathroom trips than you may want. That extra cupcake may lead to hyperactivity before bed and then a prolonged bedroom routine. Saying no isn’t a bad thing if it is a good thing for your child in the long run. You know your child best. Set them up to be their very best.