Can Morning Routine Charts Work?

Plus, 5 tips for getting out the door. Learn better. Play smarter. | [View this email in your browser]( Parenting made simpler. Written by experts. Designed for intentional parents. Be a Plinkit Pro Thank you for reading. This newsletter is made possible through Plinkit Pro membership support. Please consider being a [PLINKIT PRO]( if you aren't already, to enjoy access to all our expert guidance. Your support is how we keep things going. Or, [email us](mailto:hello@myplinkit.com) to find out how your entire school or workplace can benefit from [PLINKIT PRO.]( [BE A PLINKIT PRO]( Can Morning Routine Charts Work? Plus, Five Tips for Getting Out the Door When it comes to settling those back-to-school nerves, we’re all about routines, routines, routines. Consistency and predictability are key. They provide security, especially during a time of change, and they’re critical for managing distress and building your child’s self-confidence. Consistent Routines: Predictability + Security = Competence + Confidence But, we hear so often how, "Morning routine charts don’t work!" Here’s our honest answer. It’s true - simply putting up a routine chart and hoping that a child follows it on day #1 is pretty unlikely. That's because getting out the door smoothly isn’t about the chart itself - it’s about the foundational skills that a child needs to develop first, to be able to implement that routine chart successfully. For younger children (toddlers and preschoolers), those skills include understanding expectations and limits, self-regulation and self-control. (For example: following instructions, staying focused and on task, controlling impulses when wanting to do something off task, being a flexible thinker to do something they may not want to do, etc.) For older children, it’s those same skills - amplified - plus, executive functions. That’s why honing a routine with a child takes time and patience. (In fact, teachers focus on building routines for 4-6 weeks at the beginning of each school year to set the entire year up for success.) So, if getting out the front door feels harried and tricky as you settle into back-to-school, just remember: - It’s normal! You and your child will get better at it. It takes practice. There will be iterations. - Routines and skills take time to build. Stick with it. - Things always take longer (in grown-up time) than we think. Embed transition times in your routine as a buffer for the learning that is taking place on kid time. - Planning ahead really does help, because inevitably, there are always more details to remember than we realize. - Things will likely not go as planned. If you can, try a practice run of your morning routine before the first day of school. Learn more foundational back-to-school skills at [myplinkit.com]( or read our Plinkit articles below. We've also hand-picked three books below that you can share with your child to get into the back-to-school mood. For Plinkit Pro members: We're uniquely offering back-to-school personalized support during this swirly whirly time. If you'd like scripts, tools and strategies for successfully establishing a morning routine, handling worries, navigating healthy parent/child separation and more, we’d love to help. Just [add your name to this list.]( (Not a Plinkit Pro member yet? [You can sign up here.]( [Sign Up for Back-to-School Support]( LEARN + DO [Bring Peace to Your Mornings - Make a Routine Chart]( Our tips for successfully implementing a morning routine chart. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2017%2F08%2Fbring-peace-mornings-make-morning-routine-chart%2F) [Share]( LEARN + DO [Transitions - How to Get Through Peacefully]( Discover the strategies teachers use to effectively help children move from one activity to the next. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2018%2F06%2Ftransitions-part-2-peacefully-get-transitions%2F) [Share]( LEARN + DO [How to Navigate a Healthy Parent/Child Separation]( The fundamental Do’s and Don’t’s to prepare your child for a healthy separation so that they experience less emotional upset and challenging behavior - all in a printable table. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2020%2F09%2Fparent-child-separation-anxiety-goodbye-routine-preschool%2F) [Share]( LEARN + DO [Executive Functioning - Why It Matters]( Games and activities you can play at home to strengthen paying attention, organizing and planning, staying focused and self-control. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2018%2F10%2Fexecutive-functioning-part-1-what-is-it-and-why-it-matters%2F) [Share]( LEARN + DO [How to Build Your Child's Independence]( Foundational skills for teaching your child to be in charge of themself and their learning. Strategies for *how* to build your child’s competence, confidence and self-reliance. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2021%2F05%2Fteach-your-child-to-be-independent-confident-resilient%2F) [Share]( LEARN + DO [The Super Power of *Yet*]( *Yet* - Three letters that will change your child's outlook on their potential. Works just as well for preschoolers, as it does for older children. Learn our useful phrases to reframe defeatist statements. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2018%2F04%2Fpower-of-yet%2F) [Share]( READ + SHARE [Waiting Is Not Easy!]( There is a lot of waiting on any given school day ([patience is a learned skill](. This fabulous award-winner puts waiting into giggly perspective. Just as great as a read-aloud to preschoolers, as it is to be read by emerging readers. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [The Circles All Around Us]( A lovely way of helping children learn to see the world outside of themselves, while understanding their role in it. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [Your Name is A Song]( The illustrations, the concept, the story - we love it all! A tangible way of showcasing pride in a child’s identity and in the celebration of others. [BUY NOW]( Learn better. Play smarter. 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