Creating schedules for young children

As adults, we value our calendars and daily planners. Some moms color code their planners, put stickers on their calendars, many have large charts hanging in their homes where every family member is assigned a shape/color so the family stays on track and everyone knows the weekly routine.  Our lives are organized and we feel secure and prepared when we know what to expect during our day. Calendars and schedules allow us to function, plan for our family, and survive in this ever changing and crazy world we call “motherhood”.  

Close your eyes. Imagine your calendar, watch, daily planner, cell phone reminders, and alarms vanishing into thin air. 

Your breathing is getting faster and anxiety is moving through your body. You are starting to feel a loss of control as you realize you have no idea what to expect during your day. “What time is it?” “Do I need to pick up carpool?” “What do I need from the grocery store?” “Am I late for a meeting?” Open your eyes.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF BEING A TODDLER

Toddlers are wild, energetic, loving, difficult, spontaneous, fun, and they too (like us) are creatures of habit and enjoy schedules. Humans by nature are creatures of habit and thrive on routine, consistency, predictability, and having schedules. 

Establishing day/nighttime schedules and routines that are meaningful to your toddler will help reduce tension in their life, give them control of their day, allow them to feel secure in their environment, help them learn self-control, provide comfort and a sense of safety, will reduce power struggles and will give them their “calendar and daily planner” that we all realize is so very important. 

A great way to create a day/nighttime schedule is to pair pictures with words. Not only are you working on early literacy skills, but you are also making learning fun. Children are able to understand pictures long before they are able to read print and pairing the two will start to reinforce the bond between a picture and the written word.

A toddlers “work” is to play and learn and when we create predictable schedules for our children, we allow them to do their “work” and enjoy the world.