Keeping a schedule with kids

It’s an unfortunate situation we are all in right now. During this crisis I feel like the children are suffering the most, excluding of course those people who are suffering directly at the “hands” of this virus. The children are affected by seclusion, lack of outdoors and activities in nature, they miss their friends and their time at school.

For every negative side, there is also a positive. They get to spend lots of time with their parents, which doesn’t happen too often. You get the chance to really be 100% there with them the whole day. This of course has ups and downs and can drive one crazy after a few days, especially if you are working from home. That’s why a schedule is very important for the whole structure of the day.

Normally schedules are a drag at home, nobody wants a too organized life in the comfort of their personal space, even if they are working. But kids love schedules and routines, especially the younger ones. Tight schedules don’t work for young kids, they need lots of breaks to do stuff freely. So, how do parents succeed in making a realistic, fun routine at home without having the authority a teacher has at school?

What I’ve learned from more experienced teachers and psychologists is the wonderful concept of a “lineup”. Trust me, this lineup is your best friend! What’s a lineup exactly?

A lineup is a very practical concept of lining up one after the other activities represented by objects. For example: reading is represented by the book you want to read, or a ball for a specific sport, paper for drawing or math, a toy for a specific small world play you want to do, a DVD for cartoons and so on.

The thing about a lineup is that it can’t be too long. Include between 5 to 7 objects at most in your lineup. So my advice is you do two lineups: a longer one in the morning which can take until lunchtime to complete, the other, shorter (3-4 activities at most) in the afternoon. Between the morning schedule and the afternoon one, the children should take a big break and do whatever free play they want. Ideally they should be exposed to sun and fresh air. This break is essential for the children and for their contentment.

When you do a lineup, do it together with your kid, ask them their opinion on what you should be doing together. Your child should choose as well. Combine sitting with movement, so the kid doesn’t get bored with sitting for a too long period of time. You can start the morning, when they are rested, with some art and crafts, continue with math or writing, then do some gym or yoga. Let the child take a break for 15-20 minutes to play free and then you can join the play in an organized manner playing something specific like a board game, or small world play or do a puppet show. Then you can bring them again to the table to do some more writing or drawing. You get the idea.

Don’t forget to include in the afternoon lineup again some movement. Kids need to consume their energy, especially if they are confined indoors.

You can take turns with your partner completing these activities. The child will enjoy it even more. It will take a few days for the children to get used to this concept, but they will love it, I guarantee it. It brings structure to their world, but also freedom. They feel powerful they get to choose, they feel happy they get to spend time with you doing stuff, they will be balanced doing favorite things as well as the necessary ones. They will be spending their energy in a positive way.

And last, but not least: your day will go by in a blink of an eye. Nobody gets bored, or cranky, or frustrated. Maybe just the parents, because it’s difficult not having time for themselves even a little bit. But even so, this quarantine will pass and the children will go to school again. So enjoy your time with them! This should be a positive time for a healthy family.

For those in need of inspiration, I have here some examples of morning and afternoon lineups.