Routines are repeated actions that have to be done on a daily basis. These actions usually, but not always, have to be followed in a sequence. Examples of routines include morning routines (wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, put school lunch in backpack, etc.) and evening routines (eat dinner, bath, put on pajamas, brush teeth, read a story, etc.)
Routines are comforting to children – they begin to internalize what needs to be done and what is expected of them.
Challenge: Many children understand what is expected of them, but they cannot remember all the required steps. Time eludes them and what should take five minutes ends up taking 25 minutes and tasks are often not successfully completed.
Solution: Use the Time Timer PLUS in conjunction with a mini routine binder
When children’s to-do checklists are not located in the room where they are doing each task, it is difficult for them to know what to do next in their routines. They have to constantly return to where the checklist is located, which essentially wastes time. And more often than not, children get distracted on their way to review their checklists. The Time Timer PLUS in combination with a portable mini binder solves this problem.
You will need:
- Time Timer PLUS
- a mini binder
- sheet protectors
- photos/pictures representing each task that has to be completed (a page for every task)
The advantages of these two time-management systems are that they are both: (a) visual, and (b) portable.
© Images: Image of Time Timer PLUS courtesy of Time Timer, image of mini binder courtesy of Paula Berman Organizing [www.paulabermanorganizing.com]
Paula Berman is the owner of Paula Berman Organizing located in the San Francisco Bay Area. She
blogs on productivity and organization. She has a special interest in working with families and individuals who are looking to declutter and streamline their lives.