Routine

I went on a six day and night trip with my wonderful daughter. We had some interesting chance encounters, a lot of good time to visit with friends and loved ones, and great mom/daughter bonding time.

I like getting away from my routine for just long enough to start missing my routine.

Thought for the day:

Routine is good. I notice that I miss familiar things, places, people and the things I do without much thought when I am away form home for more than four days or so.

Familiarity of our surroundings is comforting to young and old alike. It is nice to be able to flip on a light switch, push out a chair or close a door without looking or thinking much. In my own home these small actions I have done hundreds of times become part of my ‘muscle memory’. I push the chair out after breakfast with just enough lift to get over the worn spot in the carpet that has developed over months and years of routine use. The chair and carpet in the hotel or restaurant do not feel and respond in quit the same. I reach and find a light switch that I know is to the right as I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and falter; it is just a bit higher or lower than I thought. Returning home is comforting. Waking up in my own bed is a welcomed feeling after even the best of vacations. Going away from home makes me appreciate home all the more.

Montessori:

Routine in any classroom is important and useful to the teacher and children. Transition from one activity to another is often hard for preschool children. Routine helps to ease the children into the necessary transition throughout the day. In the Montessori environment children thrive on predictable routine. This is not to say the children are not able to be flexible and can’t benefit from the occasional variance from the familiar. Early in the school year routine will help the three year old that has not yet developed a sense of time to know that soon after the second time we sing songs mom will be coming. This can be very comforting to a child with separation issues. If the routine is unpredictable the child my have more anxiety for a longer period of time.

The young child knows what she DOES, not what you SAY she will DO. That is to say, if mom comes soon after you sing for the second time three days in a row, it is much more comforting to the child than hearing you say, ‘your mom will be here soon’. SOON is an abstract concept the child may not have developed yet. ‘Doing’ is ‘knowing’ at this literal time of life. ‘Telling’ is just not as meaningful to the very young child.