August is upon us and that means it’s time for the holidays!
While your kids are probably super excited to sleep in and not have any homework, keeping them on a regular schedule is important.
Routines are an important part of keeping your children on the right learning path.
Here are 6 tips to keeping kids in routine during their holidays:
1. Get to Sleep at Night
Regular schedules help children fall asleep more easily at night. When kids know what to expect as they are going to bed, it reduces unexpected stress and promotes relaxation. Even nap times can come with a routine.
Don’t let your kids sleep in too much during the August Break. Waking up around the same time every day and going to bed at the same time is a healthy habit .
2. Good Eating Habits
Mealtime is a good way to introduce good eating habits. Make sure that your children are eating a healthy breakfast every day. Breakfast is important for every member of your family as it improves your concentration, strength, endurance and performance. It can even lower your cholesterol and round out a healthy diet by adding in vitamins and minerals you might not get during the rest of the day.
Turning off the TV during mealtime is also an excellent eating habit for kids to develop. Families that watch TV while they eat tend to overeat. The holidays come with their fair share of over-eating and sugary sweets.
Use this time as a good example of why it’s important to eat healthy.
3. Travel with Kids
Traveling itself can be stressful. Traveling with children can be a nightmare if your child is tense and uncomfortable. Bring an item that makes your child feel safe like a stuffed animal or blanket to ease that car, plane or train ride.
Remember that young children do better in the morning. Plan to do the majority of your travel in the morning and use the evenings to relax.
4. Holiday Activities
Your kids might get a little restless being cooped up all day instead of being at school. Plan activities ahead of time to keep your little ones’ minds and bodies engaged while they’re stuck at home during school holidays. To keep their minds engaged, try out math games, crafts, puzzles, science experiments and board games.
5. Screen Time Routines
Some kids can get in the habit of watching TV and movies all day during school holidays. Limit screen time to 2 hours a day, even when your kids complain of being bored.
Studies have shown that children spend over 10 and a half hours a day on electronics, including watching TV on any device, listening to music, playing on a computer, playing video games and watching movies in a theater. Removing electronic devices, like TVs and video game consoles, from your child’s room can help squash some of that time spent in front of the TV.
6. Back to School Routines
As it gets closer to back-to-school time, you can start preparing your kids for another change in their routine. If sleep schedules changed for your family, slowly adjust them back into the times they usually go to bed during school. If mealtime schedules changed, it’s important to adapt to those back-to-school times as well.
