Falling out of routine is common during the holidays and whether it’s a week-long break or just a three-day weekend, it can be difficult to transition back to your day-to-day life. This is especially true for children.
Routines are proven to have a positive impact on a child’s development. They provide stability and a strong framework to help keep them on track and help them understand what to expect. While it’s entirely normal to fall out of routine from time-to-time, it’s important to be prepared when those inevitable “Sunday scaries” hit.
We’ve rounded up some tips that you can utilize the next time your child needs some extra support transitioning back into their regular routine. Who knows, they might end up being helpful for the whole family!
- Slowly re-establish your routine a few days early. Jumping back into a strict routine immediately after a holiday break can feel jarring. To avoid this, start adding in elements of your child’s regular routine a few days before break ends. This might include waking up 30 minutes earlier, picking out an outfit, or preparing snacks together for the following day.
- Get creative with a back-to-routine countdown art project. What better way to help your child get back into routine than by turning it into a fun, engaging activity such as creating a paper chain countdown?
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- Together with your child, simply cut out strips of paper, adding words of encouragement to each one
- Then, loop one strip into a circle and secure it with a stapler, glue, or tape, adding as many loops as there are days you’re counting down
- Make it part of your morning routine to detach one loop per day and read the words of encouragement together
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- Find ways to celebrate your child’s day-to-day. Remind your child of all the things they love about their daily routine. Maybe they have a friend or educator they’re really looking forward to seeing again. Make a list of things they want to do when they return such as a game they might want to play or a story they might want to share about what they did over break.
In addition to implementing some of these tips, remember to be patient and validate any uncomfortable emotions your child might be experiencing. You can normalize their experience by sharing your own feelings, encouraging them to talk aloud about their worries, or even writing down what is making them feel anxious.
