Now that school has started up again, life is no doubt more complicated than it was over the summer break. While it may be difficult to settle back into the steady routine of school, having a predictable pattern of events each day can help children establish a sense of normalcy and comfort. There are many benefits of having a consistent routine in place for you and your family, and you can find numerous suggestions online to help you create your own special daily schedule. Below are just a few key ways that keeping a fairly strict routine can aid your child.

Routines Establish Self-Control

Adults may have deadlines for work, but we are often left to our own devices as far as performing necessary tasks like household chores, paying bills, or scheduling dentist visits. In many cases, no one comes alongside us and makes us do those tasks. This is an example of daily self-control and discipline that is vital to functioning in society. By having a daily routine that is set in stone, children learn to allot their time into the appropriate segments required to perform necessary tasks. It is a skill that will help them when they seek higher education as well as when they enter the workforce and start families of their own.

Routines Breed Confidence

Another benefit of a steady routine is that children tend to develop more confidence when they can predict future events. According to Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Peter Gorski, children who do not have a clear routine can feel anxious, causing them to act out as a defense mechanism against a lack of a firm foundation. Daily schedules and routines, such as having a snack after homework is finished, bathing before dinner, or other set-ups that show help your children manage time by tracking events, often leads to kids feeling more secure and stable.

Routines Encourage Healthiness

Not only are there psychological benefits gained from routines, but children also learn healthy habits from keeping a tight daily schedule. Some of the most obvious ways that this applies include learning to brush and floss teeth daily, having a certain amount of time allotted for outdoor play, or eating with family at the dinner table. These habits help to teach children a holistic approach to life that includes hygiene, exercise, balanced meals, community, discussion, and interpersonal appreciation.

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At Brooklyn Charter School, our daily routines are designed to keep your children learning and developing into successful, conscientious citizens. Find out more about our approach by contacting us here.