COUNSELOR’S CORNER with Ms. Patty:

The Importance of Routines Over the Holidays

Soon the winter holiday will be upon us.  For many a break from the school routine is a welcomed time to relax and unwind but for many children the lack of structure can breed uncertainty and anxiety.  In general, most people benefit from routines but children, in particular, find comfort in knowing what is expected.  Further routines help children regulate socially and emotionally.  

So how do we enjoy the holiday and yet maintain some structure to support our children?  Here are a few ideas:

1. Make a plan: Before or at the start of the holiday, sit down with your child and develop a plan of what will happen over the next 3 weeks.  Make a calendar of events & activities the family expects to participate in.  Have your plan include daily activities, such as wake up time, meals and bedtime.
2. Maintain daily activities:  It’s easy over the holidays to let the little things go but maintaining routines, such as daily bath, teeth brushing or bedtime stories provides security for children and helps them maintain healthy lifestyle choices.
3. Prioritize sleeping & eating: Elementary children need 9-12 hours of sleep each night.  Maintain daily bedtime schedules as much as possible.  Keep regular meals.  Eating healthy meals on schedule will help maintain energy and help avoid irritability.  Encourage moderation of unhealthy snacks and treats.
4. Develop a screen time schedule: Children have more access to unstructured time with devices during the holidays.  Make a plan with them to determine how much, when and what type of device time they may have.  Remember not all screen time is equal.  Quality and quantity are different.

I hope these tips enable your family to have a truly restful and enjoyable holiday.  I hope the coming year brings peace and comfort to you as well.  As always, I am available to the ISY community for support.  Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at escounselor@isyedu.org 

Warmly, Ms. Patty

Ms. Patty is available to support all ISY families.  If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at escounselor@isyedu.org. 

Patty Amundson-Geisel

Pre-K to Grade 6 Counselor