The school holidays are just around the corner. While your children are probably very excited to sleep in and not have to do homework, keeping them in a regular holiday routine is important. Our Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists stress the value of maintaining holiday routines for all of our families in our Bondi Junction clinic.
Routines are an important part of keeping your children on the right learning path. Routines allow children to stay calm. Children are more complaint when they know what is expected. The return to school is easier when a holiday routine has been maintained.
Keep a regular sleep routine
A regular sleep schedule helps children fall asleep more easily. It reduces stress and promotes relaxation.
Don’t let your children sleep in too much during the holidays. Sleeping in becomes a habit that has to be broken when children go back to school.
Maintain consistent eating habits
Have meals at the same time in the holidays as you do during the school term. This will keep energy levels up and reduce snacking.
The holiday break brings lots of sugary temptations, so regular meals are a way of controlling them. It is just as important to eat a good breakfast during the holidays.
Keep the routine when you travel
It can be hard to maintain a regular routine when travelling. Keep the times for sleep and meals the same when you are away.
Plan your morning and afternoon activities
Tell your child what is happening each day.
Discuss when they will be going out. This can be to go to the playground, swim at the beach or visit friends and relatives.
Explain what part of the day they will be at home. The time at home is to play, read, and join you in activities such as cooking.
Any activities before bedtime should be quiet, calming activities.
Give your children jobs
Set chores for different times of the day and establish the expectation that your child will help out at home with jobs.
The habit of daily chores jobs children life skills and helps maintain a routine during the holidays.
Children who have jobs during the holidays cope better when it is time to go back to school.
Keep up daily reading and story times
It is important to do this for preschoolers. It is equally important for school aged children. When young children don’t read for the summer holidays they can experience the ‘summer slide’. Their reading skills go backwards and they have to catch up to where they were before school finished.
Set a screen time routine
Studies have shown that children spend over 10.5 hours on screens during the holidays, and this leads to poor behaviour.
Limit screen time to a maximum of 2 hours per day. This includes TV and playing on devices. Set the time that screens can be used and stick to it.
Screens shouldn’t be used in the morning. Watching some TV after lunch is one way for children to have quiet time during the middle of the day. Using devices in the late afternoon. Devices shouldn’t be used after dinner or close to bedtime.
Don’t have any screen time after dinner.
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HELPING MY CHILD WITH ROUTINES ?
OneOnOne Children’s Therapy is located in Bondi Junction in Sydney. Our team of Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Psychologists have the knowledge and experience to support children with developmental delay and global developmental delay. If you want to find out more about tour services call our clinic on (02) 80657837 or email us. We are always very happy to answer any of your questions.
