Family routines: how and why they work

Daily routines help all families get through everyday tasks. Routines can also build family bonds. A good routine caters for the needs of all family members.

Routines are how families organise themselves to get things done, spend time together and have fun. Every family has its own unique routines. Routines help family members know who should do what, when, in what order and how often.

For example, your family might have:
• daily routines for work and school mornings, bath time, bedtime, mealtimes, greetings and goodbyes.

• weekly routines for housework, like washing and cleaning.

• other routines involving holidays and extended family get-togethers.

Family life is often smoother with a few routines, but there’s more to routines than this.

Routines also let your children know what’s important to your family. These can help strengthen your shared beliefs and values, and build a sense of belonging and togetherness in your family.

Children: why routines are good for them

Some children like and need routine more than others. In general, though, routines have the following benefits for children:

1. Safety and belonging

An organised and predictable home environment helps children and teenagers feel safe, secure and looked after, particularly in stressful times or during difficult stages of development, like puberty.

Also, routines built around having fun or spending time together strengthen family relationships. For example, reading a story together before bed or going for a special snack after soccer practice can become a special time for you and your child to share. 

2. Skills and responsibility

Having chores to do in family routines helps children and teenagers develop a sense of responsibility and some basic skills like the ability to manage time. These are skills children can use for life.

And when children can do their parts of the routine with less help or supervision from you, it also helps them become more independent. 

3. Healthy habits

Routines can be a way of teaching younger children healthy habits, like brushing their teeth, taking medicine regularly, getting some exercise, or washing their hands after using the toilet.

This means that routines can be good for children’s health. For example, children who wash their hands more regularly might be less likely to get colds and other common illnesses. Also, routines can reduce stress, and lower stress is good for children’s immune systems.

Daily routines help set our body clocks too. For example, bedtime routines help children’s bodies ‘know’ when it’s time to sleep. This can be a big help when children reach adolescence and their body clocks start to change. 

Toddlers and preschoolers: ideas for daily routines

For toddlers and preschoolers, you could have routines for:

• getting ready in the morning.

• getting together with other children to play, perhaps at playgroup.

• eating meals.

• spending time playing and talking together each day.

• reading books or telling stories.

• having quiet time and going to bed at night.

Source:  https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/family-life/routines-rituals-relationships/family-routines