Back to School: Time for a New Routine Chart

If your family has had a relaxed scheduled this summer, you may find that it’s time to get back into a routine to prepare for your back-to-school schedule! This afternoon my elementary-aged child and I created a new Routine Chart. Routine Charts are a positive parenting tool that can help streamline a routine or process, help your child increase their autonomy and skills and releases you of the nagging for all that has to be done! Instead of asking quick-fire questions in the morning about all their morning tasks, you can simply ask, “Have you completed your morning routine?”

Routine Charts are completely adaptable and can be used for any routine, but my family especially uses it in the mornings and evenings. I’ve included a photo of our morning routine chart, which we just finished this morning. We recently moved and our previous one was misplaced, so it was time for a new one. As you can see, you can include whatever tasks you need your child to complete in the mornings before school. Our night-time routine chart includes a few of the same tasks but also additional ones specific to bedtime.

For older children, a simple to-do list will suffice, but the pictures make it more fun and can create buy-in for younger children who get to participate in the creation of the Routine Chart.