Tips for Toddlers: Routines!

Parenting a toddler can be the furthest thing from an ‘easy’ task. It takes discipline, hard work, patience, and a sense of fun and joy. Toddlers love to learn, making it a prime time to start introducing routines into your toddler’s life. Here are a few reasons why this might be beneficial!

1. They’re more likely to cooperate.

The prefrontal cortex is an important area that needs to be developed in all kids. When toddlers are given a routine, this area of their brain develops. The reason for this? This area of the brain is responsible for development and execution. Therefore, giving your toddler a routine allows them to understand what’s happening next in their day. Giving a toddler a sense of a predictable schedule allows them to feel at ease with their daily life. So, when a tricky situation comes up, and your toddler starts to get a little uncomfortable or angry, remind them of their daily routine and treat it as a fun adventure.

2. They need it to explore.

It’s interesting how a sense of routine can allow anyone feel more freedom to explore, experiment, and be more creative. However, for toddlers, a routine gives them a sense of ease and allows them to go about their day with the knowledge that they will be okay! This means that the little moments of exploration become easier for them. This also allows them to make their own decisions in a ‘safe space’, so that they are able to develop their execution and planning skills without worrying about what comes next.

3. They develop confidence.

It’s clear that in our world, confidence is key… no matter how old you are! For toddlers, having that sense of security – that allows them to go ahead and explore – means they are confident about their own ability to make little decisions. As toddlers get older and become children, who then become teenagers, who then become adults, this self-confidence is crucial to success. Toddlers who understand routine and their own role in it feel more comfortable and confident in themselves!

A bonus to all of this is that developing a routine is helpful to you, too! Parenting toddlers can be stressful and overwhelming, but when there’s a daily schedule and things are planned out, everyone feels a little more at ease. So, why not get to scheduling that routine? It’s worth it!