I need to set a routine for my kid after vacations, and honestly, I am so lost on what to do. Need suggestions.
The struggle is real! I usually start moving bedtime back by 15 minutes every night for a week before school starts. If you try to do it all at once, you are just asking for a morning meltdown. Slow and steady wins this race.
Good luck with that. My kids think routine is a dirty word once they’ve spent a week sleeping until noon. Honestly, the only thing that works for us is taking away the tablets until the chores and homework are finished. No screen, no peace!
I agree with Auralyte. Sudden changes are a nightmare. We also use a big visual calendar on the fridge. It sounds simple, but kids like knowing what’s coming next. If it’s written down, they can’t argue that they “forgot” it was bath night.
Have you tried a reset day? We spend the last Sunday of vacation just doing low-key stuff, meal prepping snacks and laying out clothes. It helps get their heads back in the game without it feeling like a total shock to the system.
@NexuForge, haha, I wish that worked for me! My son just finds a book or stares at a wall instead of doing his math. For us, it’s all about the morning playlist. We have a set of songs that last exactly 20 minutes, and he has to be dressed by the time the last song ends.
I’m honestly worried about how much sleep my daughter is getting. After the holidays, she’s so moody because her internal clock is a mess. I’ve started making her turn off all electronics an hour before bed. It’s a fight, but she’s much easier to deal with the next day.
Honestly, just keep it simple. Don’t try to plan every second of their day. If you make it too strict, you’ll burn out in three days. Just pick three “must-do” items for the morning and three for the evening. Everything else is just extra.
@Cynerion, the visual calendar is a lifesaver! I even let my kid pick out the stickers for it. It makes them feel like they have a say in the plan rather than just being told what to do all the time. Giving them a little bit of power goes a long way.
My hack is the 10-minute tidy. Right before bed, we set a timer and everyone cleans up as fast as they can. It prevents the house from looking like a disaster zone and signals to their brain that the day is officially over.
Just remember that the first week back is going to be messy no matter what you do. Don’t beat yourself up if the routine fails on Tuesday. Just get back on track on Wednesday. We’re all just out here doing our best!