How to Get Children Back Into a Routine After the Holidays

Ease children into routines before the first day back to school.

Holiday breaks are often filled with travels, parties and excitement. Children get a hiatus from homework and early mornings, and parents indulge their families with special activities and treats. Bedtimes and consistent mealtimes are often overlooked as families attend holiday gatherings to celebrate the season. It can be a challenge to resume routines after two weeks of freedom. Preparing children begins with talking about the impending end of vacation, or counting down the days to a return to the normal routine.

Instructions

1. Begin to re-establish routines a few days before returning to school or day care. Schedule family meals, naps and bedtimes as they were before the break. If your child has been staying up late and sleeping in, move bedtime ahead by one-half to one hour and wake her up one-half to an hour earlier each day until you've re-established a sleep schedule.

2. Prepare the night before. Prepare clothes by placing them in a pile in the child's room, make lunches, finish homework and gathering necessities for after-school activities. Designate a spot for each child's backpack to avoid hunting for lost items when it is time to leave in the morning.

3. Have the children start winding down about an hour before bedtime. Turn off the television, computer and other electronic devices. Let your child read or play quietly until bedtime. Children need about nine to 11 hours of sleep each night, depending on their age.

4. Post morning and evening checklists of chores for each child. A morning checklist might include getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth and getting the backpack. Evening or after-school checklists might include homework, packing the backpack, cleaning the room and laying out clothes for tomorrow. Young children can follow a picture checklist, while older children can be responsible for checking off items as they are completed.

5. Be consistent. Routines might be met with some resistance at first, but it is important to stick with them. Children take comfort in routines and may even be relieved to get back to them. Exercise patience as things gradually return to normal within a week or two.

References

• Observer and Eccentric: Tips to Get Your Child Back on a School Routine; Susan M. Johnson; August 2011
• Parenting Exchange Library: Resuming Routines Helps Kids Rebound From the Holidays; Karen Stephens; 2002

Resources

• Parenting.org