Care Routine for Children

Meal Times

• Setting a schedule for meals and snacks will help keep your child satisfied through the day and avoid him asking at various hours for food. This will allow you, the caregiver, to accomplish the tasks you need to get done without being interrupted every half hour with requests for snacks and drinks. It can also help prevent overeating on the part of your child. When mealtime comes, give your child a choice between two items -- this increases the chance they will eat a majority of what they are given. Also, while mealtime can be a time for friendly chit-chat, it shouldn't be a time for play. Finally, your child should be encouraged to try a little bit of everything, but avoid forcing him to eat it if they don't want it -- this may only prevent him from trying the food again.

Play Times

• Designating specific times of the day for play helps your child learn when it's okay to let her energy out and when it's time to be calm and listen. It is a good idea to have a room of your house set up with her toys -- this prevents a mess of toys through your home and teaches her that the playroom is her responsibility. She needs to pick up her toys before she is allowed to participate in another activity. You can also designate a time to go to the park, allowing your child to play with other kids her age and release any built-up energy she may have.

Toilet Times

• Toilet training is an important step in your child's development, however it is not a stage of development that should be forced or rushed into. Every child will be ready to toilet train at different ages, though it typically begins around age two. Some signs your child may be ready are if he remains dry for a period of two hours or more, or is dry after waking from a nap. Once these are noticed, you can then attempt placing him on a toilet schedule of every two hours. This will get him into a routine and may help speed the toilet training process.

Sleep Schedules

• This is essential for all children, even as they enter kindergarten. The more rest she receives, the better her brain develops. She also needs this time to relax after a day of playing to help avoid her from becoming cranky late in the afternoon. The easiest way to get your child into an everyday routine is to have a set time for her nap each day. Your child may fall asleep quickly, or she may require you to read her a book, rub her back, or sing her a song. If there are days when your child absolutely will not fall asleep, she still needs an hour of rest time. During this time, be sure to provide a quiet environment for her. If you have more than one child, separate them so they do not disturb each other. At night, it's important to stick to a routine. Offer your child a snack or a drink, give her a relaxing bath, help her brush her teeth and tuck her into bed, where you read her a bedtime story before you kiss her goodnight.