4 Ways to Create Structure in the Home

A Little Structure Goes a Long Way

How to implement routine and improve your child’s overall day-to-day

While we understand that life can be unpredictable and busy, the more structure and routine that you can implement daily, the happier you and your child will be. Following a routine can be instrumental in a child’s life and the way that they behave, because it helps them know what to expect from others and their environment as well as know what others expect from them. Here are 5 quick tips for how to create structure within the home.

1. Be consistent with words and actions.

If you say something, follow through with it. If you tell your child that he will get ___ reward for doing what you ask, be ready to give him that reward if he does it. If you say no TV before bed, do not allow your child to watch TV before bed. If you have a plan to put your child in time-out if he hits, he has to go to time-out every time he hits. If your child knows that you will follow through with what you say and hold them to a set of expectations, he is more likely to do what you ask in the first place.

Photo Credit: HomeSchoolHappy

2. Everyone in the house should be on the same page.

Going along with #1, it is super important that everyone in the house holds the child to the same expectations and disciplines similarly. This includes temporary visitors, such as if your mother-in-law moves in for a couple weeks. Not only will inconsistencies undo any of your hard work, the child will learn that she can act a certain way with certain adults to get what she wants.

3. Follow a similar routine each day.

While you may not do exactly the same thing every day, try to keep as much of the child’s routine the same as possible. For example, your child gets up, eats breakfast, brushes his teeth, and then has playtime until lunch. Sometimes you go to the store, sometimes you just play together. If your child has difficulty even with a regular routine, you may want to create a picture schedule so you can remind him of what is coming up next.

4. Be positive!

Praise and/or reward your child for following the rules and for doing what you ask. Some parents wonder why you need to reward a child for doing what you asked in the first place, but positively reinforcing good behavior will increase the behavior. This could be a tangible reward, verbal praise, preferred activity, etc. For every negative thing you have to say to your child, follow it up with two positive praises. If your child only gets in trouble for doing the wrong thing and never gets praised for doing the right thing, she may decide that it’s just not worth it.

By creating consistency in the home, a child will know what to expect day-to-day, and the likelihood that they will follow through on what they are asked to do becomes greater and greater. With these tips, you are on your way to a more productive, stress-free household!