Why it is important to maintain a routine

By definition, a routine is a sequence of actions regularly followed. Due to the current pandemic, most students' routines have been broken. However, it is important to maintain a proper routine that is unique to you and your child. There are several important steps to having a proper routine, and that starts with setting up realistic goals, and times that this goals will be accomplished.

Morning Time

The first step is having a proper wake-up time, which should be enforced by an alarm clock instead of a cell phone. Kids should then leave their room and do homework or activities in a a communal space, like the living room, kitchen, or outside, and maintain a proper, consistent learning environment (check out our our blog post on environment for more information). A child's daily schedule should be the same at home as it was in school, in order to maintain a proper mindset. Breaking from routine may cause students to think that it is okay to slack off or not try as hard, because they are not in their usual learning environment. However, this may be the norm for a while. This is where a proper routine and study environment go hand and hand.

Training Our Brains

Another important factor in routine is our brains, and the use of technology. Kids sit in front of technology all day: doing school work, playing games, watching a movie, or talking to friends. Technology devices have something called blue light, which is so strong it can hurt our eyes and give us headaches. Being on technology during the night time is especially harmful, as the blue light emitted can interfere with a person's sleep cycle and the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates a person's sleep and wake cycle. When exposed to light, the production of this cycle stops.

That being said, just because kids are at home, this does not mean that they should become reliant on their cell phones. Cells phones and technology should be used on an as-needed basis, which will allow students and kids to imagine they are still in a school environment.

Implementing a routine is so important, and is unique to each student and family. And it will go a long to way to ensuring your student has the proper mindset to be prepared for success!