Routines Equal Security

One of the fundamental tenets of Montessori is that order is needed for children to do well and succeed. Montessori classrooms are set up like this, with every set of sensory materials (which the children call toys) having its set place where a child can get at them whenever they wish to. And the importance of putting away the equipment afterwards is one of the things that children learn very quickly at a Montessori early childhood centre. These principles are often also applied at home.

As well as having order in three-dimensional space, it's also important to have order in the fourth dimension, i.e. time. Routines are important. At first glance, this might seem to be contrary to the Montessori principle that children should be self-directed and should select the tasks that they will work on - or, to put it in another way, the equipment they are going to work on. Doesn't this preclude the idea of routine? Isn't one of the beauties of Montessori learning that a child isn't in an environment where the teacher says "Now we're all going to do painting," or "It's time to look at the letters of the alphabet"?

But this is not the case. While a Montessori centre has a lot of flexibility, this flexibility sits inside a structure of routine. The Montessori centre has set hours and your child can't turn up at, say, night time. Usually, a Montessori centre isn't open in the weekend (mostly because the teachers are human and have homes to clean and friends to visit). In some centres, there is a set morning tea time, even though children can help themselves to drinks (practising their pouring and self care skills) whenever they feel thirsty.

Routine is also needed at home. Let's face it: we all have to fit into a certain schedule at work, and all education, even early childhood education, should be preparation for adult life. We start work at a certain time, usually have our lunch hour at a set time, and we knock off at a set time.

Routines give children stability and help them feel secure. One of the reasons why small children in particular often get grumpy and badly behaved on holiday or during a special occasion is because their normal pattern of living has been disrupted, and this doesn't feel safe. To take another extreme, in times of chaos and upheaval, such as during a natural disaster, children are more resilient if their daily routines continue - even if the only roof over your head is the garage and you have to cook on a barbecue. This helps children know that there is still some order and security in the world.

So what are these routines? What is important for a child? First of all, it's important to stress that routine doesn't mean that every single activity has to have a set timetable and you work to that timetable or else. Within routine, there needs to be flexibility. Children need a chance to choose their activities at home, just as they do at a Montessori preschool.

The most important places that routine needs to apply in a child's life - and everyone else's life, if we want to stay sane and healthy - relate to bedtimes and mealtimes. All human beings have a circadian rhythm (body clock), and if that rhythm is disrupted, it's bad for our bodies and our emotions, as many of us have noticed during the changeovers to and from Daylight Savings Time (all you Western Australians who don't have Daylight Savings time can sit back and feel smug about having such a sensible system).

Bedtimes: For all of us, children and adults, it's best if we get up at the same time every day. Getting up times, according to the experts, are more important than going to bed times when health is considered. Small children always seem to wake early in the morning, as many parents have discovered to their irritation, so one way that parents can insist upon order and routine is to have a rule that everyone is to stay in bed until you hear the alarm clock go off (or until the clock says, for example, 6:30, if your child is able to recognise numbers or clock hands. A set bedtime should be in place, but you can be a little flexible here. A going-to-bed routine is the important part, and it helps your child wind down and go to sleep more easily. Your set wind-down routine should include brushing teeth, going to the toilet, a goodnight hug or kiss and switching out the light. The routine can also include supper, a bedtime story or a time of reflection/prayer.

Mealtimes: As well as having set times for waking and sleeping, it's also wise to have set times for eating. However, bear in mind that little stomachs empty quickly, especially in a growing and very active person. Yes, have three squares a day, but also have set snack times. However, a parent isn't a short-order cook and it's not good for you or your child if the child can request snacks that require parental preparation at any time of the day (or, worse, the night). One way of combining flexibility with order here is to have set times for meals that parents have to prepare, but to also have "free grazing" snacks that a child can fetch solo, in the same way that they can get themselves a drink. Good snacks of this type include shelled nuts (except in the case of allergies), fruit, vegetables and plain crackers (steer clear of biscuits and sugary foods).

When a routine has been put in place, it will be easy to remember how the routine goes. And if you do forget something (especially at bedtime), you are likely to find your preschooler reminding you of the little details. You forgot to do the "Good night; sleep tight; don't let the bedbugs bite" rhyme, Daddy! You always do the bedbugs rhyme!

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