Are routines really that important for babies and toddlers?
You may have heard lots of varying opinions (from a friend, your MIL, or even in a mom Facebook group) about whether or not it’s important to follow a routine once you have kids.
The short answer is: yes, there are MANY benefits for both children and adults to following a routine.
Science has shown that routines in the first few years of a child’s life are vastly important. They are the foundation of a child’s life - setting age-appropriate routines at home will help guide ALL aspects of development: social, cognitive, physical and emotional. I like to think of routines as the number one parenting hack because they simply make parenting EASIER.
Here is what the science tells us about routines for babies and chidren:
Routines lower stress and anxiety in children. When kids know what to expect, their cortisol levels (the stress hormone) lowers. This helps them feel less anxious because they know what is going to happen next.
Routines promote healthy development in both the brain and the body. They help build a child’s attention, language, and motor skills!
Routines help children feel safe. Safety comes from consistency and predictability of knowing what will come next. Remember, children DON’T like surprises or sudden changes.
Routines help promote healthy age-appropriate sleep, eating, behavior and learning skills.
Routines can decrease the amount of overall household stress. Once you have a routine established, *you* (the caregiver) know what to expect, creating less work for you. This allows your household to flow without having to think about how each day will go, freeing up brainpower to focus on other things.
Routines lead to empowered parenting. Knowing that you are setting your child up for success will help you feel confident in what you are doing!
Routines can be established at any time and at any age…. It’s never too late, I promise.
If you have NO idea where to start, I can help! Grab your Comprehensive Routine Guide - your one-stop shop for all things routines, separated by age (0-3 Months, 3-6 Months, 6-9 Months, 9-12 Months, 12-18 Months, 18-24 Months, 2-3 Years, and 3-5 Years).
These digital downloadable guides will help you stop the constant googling and feel confident about how to structure your child’s day at each stage. Plus, everything is in ONE place, so you don’t have to go looking for information about sleep routines in one place and feeding routines in another. Let’s make this parenting thing a bit easier, shall we? = )
I can’t wait to help you!