Most of our lives consist of a series of routines we perform almost every day: Getting up at the same time, taking the same route to work, etc. The same can be said for our youngsters too. Through what we do, we may not be fully aware of how much of an influence we have on our children’s lives, our activities play a major role in their development.
Routines are important as they provide those two crucial elements needed for learning: relationships and repetition.
Routines help us learn self-control. When a routine is consistent. It will happen around the same time, in the same way, and pretty much every day. This will create a sense of stability and comfort to a child – knowing when it will be playtime, snack time, time for mum/dad to come home from work, etc. This creates a sense of security and trust in the child. It also enables them to get on with what needs to be done, knowing what is to come.
Consistency cuts out the drama and resistance that children oftentimes put up when they don’t agree with a particular activity. If a child knows what will happen next, they are less likely to fight it because they are aware of the schedule – they know not to want to play a game before completing their homework, or have a snack before lunchtime.
Consistency can also help build your child’s confidence as they will have a measure of control over how the schedule plays out. This would be in the form of discussions you can engage them in, around how the activity should happen. This means, they are clear on the fact that it is time for the activity to take place, but they can have a say in how it happens. This not only builds confidence but also encourages participation. This gives them a sense of control and lets them know that they are taking an active part in the decision-making side of things. This makes for better and easier execution of the task at hand.
As already stated, whatever you as the parent are consistent with, you are most likely to either instill in your child or they will emulate your actions. Either way, it will become a part of their routine. As your child grows, these routines will become even more deeply embedded in their way of life, which they will continue to further develop as they grow. They will come into contact with more people and begin to learn patterns and routines for social interaction. Greetings, good-byes, and chatting with others are examples of routine interactions that teach social skills. All of which are also great opportunities to help your child develop language skills.
Other such opportunities are playtime and mealtime. These are routines that are very social times for children and their parents. These very regular situations will also provide that opportunity for them to see how you do things and follow along. They will learn a number of skills through the different activities that take place at these times – talking, taking turns, sharing toys, learning to wait, and helping others. These are important social skills that will stand them in good stead later on in school.
Consistency in the different activities introduced to your child can only serve to enhance their learning in so many ways – be that socially or academically. They all enrich your child’s learning and development while having fun.
Consistency is truly the key to successfully teaching your child the great skills that will help them succeed as they grow.
Our programmes create that consistency in your child’s work schedule – to keep them on track to achieve their goals at the end of each term. We work together to ensure their targets are met and they improve, excel, and go on to lead the pack.
For more information on how we can help your child with our programmes, contact using the details below:
https://www.leadersarereaders.co.uk/book-a-lesson
01992 651 300
