It has been said that “the only constant in life is change,” and that has never been more apparent than now. So how can we help keep our home life stable for our children when everything around us is constantly changing? The simple answer is Routine.

Some of the positive benefits of routines for children are:

• Routine helps children feel secure and safe within their environment
• Predictable routines can help limit challenging behaviors such as acting out and tantrums.
• As children learn to predict routines, they also learn to better self-regulate and become more independent.
• Routines create stability which can in turn reduce the risk of depression and anxiety, both now and in the future.

So how can caregivers keep a routine when many of the usual daily “norms” have changed and uncertainty has taken their place? This is a great opportunity to think about the little things you may already be doing with your children every day. Some of the most predictable routines are meals, bedtime and family time. Bath time and reading to your child before bed, eating dinner together as a family or Saturday night family movie can all provide continued stability in these uncertain times. An added benefit to note is that keeping with these routines can help you, as the adult, stay regulated and centered as well.

Remember that big changes in our world do not have to shake the stability in our homes. Staying flexible, providing a calm, safe space for our children when they need a little extra support and creating a “new normal” by introducing new routines and playtime, are all ways that we can keep our children feeling grounded and safe despite uncertainty.