Ask an Expert
Family life can be hectic at times. Whether trying to get a toddler to settle down for the night, assigning weekend chores, or trying to gather everyone around the table a few nights a week, parents find that routines can provide a sense of order and bring families together in meaningful ways. This Ask An Expert event will address the role that routines can play in promoting health and well-being in young children. Research has demonstrated that regular and predictable routines are associated with early learning, physical and mental health, and healthy relationships. The challenge is setting routines as a priority when there are competing demands from work, distractions from electronic media, and in some cases lack of experience in creating routines when parents were raised in chaotic households.
How can early childhood educators and parents go about establishing routines that are meaningful and sustainable? Are there developmental transitions that provide particularly good opportunities to create routines? How do you blend routines and rituals from two families that experienced very different routines growing up? How do culture and ethnicity come into play? These are just a few of the questions that parents and educators often have about routines in daily life. What are yours?
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The opinions, resources, and referrals provided on the IEL Web site are intended for informational purposes only and are not intended to take the place of medical or legal advice, or of other appropriate services. We encourage you to seek direct local assistance from a qualified professional if necessary before taking action.
The content of the IEL Web site does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Illinois Early Learning Project, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or the Illinois State Board of Education; nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the Illinois Early Learning Project, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or the Illinois State Board of Education.
