What are the benefits of creating an after-school routine for children? Some include lower stress levels for kids and their parents. Here is a how-to for creating one that works for your family.
When kids arrive home after school, things can go a lot of different ways. Some children have a supportive parent waiting with a healthy snack and an eager ear to hear about all the wonderful things that they learned in school that day. Other kids wander into an empty, silent house, due to both parents working to make ends meet. And of course there is the child who may (or may not) have kept it together all day at school, only to arrive home to a parent who knows the meltdown is coming once their child is safely in the home.
No matter what your after–school time looks like in your family, there is a secret to a successful transition for your kids from school to home: establish an after-school routine.
Why establish a routine
There is a lot of research that supports how beneficial it is to create a routine for children to follow. According to the American Psychological Association, a recently published review of 50 years of psychological research shows that even infants and preschoolers are healthier and exhibit better-regulated behavior when there are predictable routines in the family.
Penn State University adds that children feel more confident and secure when their daily activities are predictable and familiar. Structure in the form of routines can reduce struggles and provide a safe and secure environment for children.
Doesn’t this sound enticing? Less stressed kids and fewer struggles with chores and homework! In addition to these fantastic benefits, children will develop skills and responsibilities. While your child balances completing homework, chores, and any extracurricular activities, they will also be practicing an important Executive Functioning skill of time management.
How to make an after-school routine
If the word “routine” makes you shudder due to its rigidness and connotation of falling in line, then consider creating an after school ritual. Dr.Erika Bocknek, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at Wayne State University, discusses the importance of creating a routine and ritual. Dr Bocknek says, “Rituals give children a growing sense of themselves as a member of a greater whole which promotes positive developmental outcomes. In addition, the joy that families experience inside of rituals together can leave an ‘emotional residue’ that children keep with them to cope during stressful times.” She cites examples of rituals such as Taco Tuesday or a bedtime routine of reading a favorite story.
Where should you start? Do not Google “after-school routine” looking for an easy one already created by some super mom who blogs about how wonderful her family life is and offers free downloads if you enter your email address. Do not do this because your kids are not her kids! Every family is going to have unique needs and the after-school schedule you create must work for your home.
First, let kids help make the routine; they will be more likely to follow it. Of course you will drive and steer the process so that the schedule includes all of the necessary ingredients discussed below.
Next, include a snack time. Depending on the age of your child, lunch at school could be extremely early and they may have not eaten in hours. Of course you will want to offer healthy choices to refuel their bodies and minds.
After that, it is homework time. Having a predictable homework time and location to complete it reduces fights and pleas to skip it. If your child is older and has hours of homework – (yikes!) – break up the homework time with brain breaks and maybe even with some exercise, which is discussed next.
Add in exercise and/or movement. Many students simply need to move to get out some excess energy. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that only 1 in every 3 children in America participates in physical activity every day. It is important to note that these pieces of an after-school routine are not necessarily listed in order. If your child needs to exercise immediately upon arriving home from, honor that need and allow it.
Allow time to decompress. All students benefit from time to just chill. Discourage screen time and video games during this part of the schedule. Simply relaxing and doing nothing can actually spark creativity and recharge the batteries. If your child needs to move, encourage yoga as a way to decompress yet still reap some physical benefit.
Finally, provide screen time and access to video games. If your child has accomplished all of the above steps in the routine, then they have earned some time to play a video game or watch a show on tv, if those are activities that interest them.
Make sure to post the routine so everyone can see it and follow it. Printing out and posting the routine in a high visibility location such as the kitchen or an entry way is great idea and reminder that there is a routine to be followed. Remember: Kids need support while learning the new routine(s); don’t expect them to magically just follow along. Look for small improvements and praise the effort, not the result.
One final note: Children’s Hospital of Orange County reminds parents to look out for your well-being too. Parenting can be both wonderful and stressful. Establishing a family routine will help you too!
Final thoughts
When children come trudging into the house after school, things can go many different ways. Some kids are exhausted and are looking for a comfy place to crash, while others are wound up like a spin toy with the spring about to pop. Whatever your child looks like when they arrive home from school, having an established and well rehearsed routine will help with the transition from school to home. While the exact order of the schedule does not matter, the important components include a snack, homework, exercise, downtime, and finally access to screens if desired.
If your child struggles with transitions from school to home – or struggles with transitions in general – contact Jennifer Disch at Engage the Brain to discuss how an Executive Function Coach may be able to help.