How to improve your child's daily routine
A predictable day helps toddlers sleep, eat and behave better. Here is how to build one that fits your family.
Young children feel calmer when they know what comes next.
Anchor the day
Keep wake-up, meals, nap and bedtime at roughly the same times, even at weekends. Everything else can move around these anchors.
Show, don't tell
A picture chart on the fridge (breakfast, play, lunch, nap) lets a toddler follow the day without reminders.
Plan the hard moments
Give a five-minute warning before leaving the park and offer two choices instead of an order. Transitions go more smoothly when children feel some control.